6 VERB If someone grows mentally, they change and develop in character or attitude. □ [V ] They began to grow as persons.
7 V‑LINK You use grow to say that someone or something gradually changes until they have a new quality, feeling, or attitude. □ [V adj] I grew a little afraid of the guy next door. □ [V to-inf] He grew to love his work.
8 VERB If an amount, feeling, or problem grows , it becomes greater or more intense. □ [V ] Opposition grew and the government agreed to negotiate. □ [V -ing] …a growing number of immigrants.
9 VERB If one thing grows into another, it develops or changes until it becomes that thing. □ [V + into ] The boys grew into men. □ [V + into ] This political row threatens to grow into a full blown crisis.
10 VERB If something such as an idea or a plan grows out of something else, it develops from it. □ [V + out of ] The idea for this book grew out of conversations with Philippa Brewster.
11 VERB If the economy or a business grows , it increases in wealth, size, or importance. [BUSINESS ] □ [V ] The economy continues to grow. □ [V -ing] …a fast growing business.
12 VERB If someone grows a business, they take actions that will cause it to increase in wealth, size, or importance. [BUSINESS ] □ [V n] To grow the business, he needs to develop management expertise and innovation across his team.
13 VERB If a crystal grows , or if a scientist grows it, it forms from a solution. □ [V ] …crystals that grow in cavities in the rock. □ [V n] We tried to grow some copper sulphate crystals with our children.
14 → see also grown
▸ grow apart PHRASAL VERB If people who have a close relationship grow apart , they gradually start to have different interests and opinions from each other, and their relationship starts to fail. □ [V P ] He and his wife grew apart. □ [V P + from ] It sounds as if you have grown apart from Tom.
▸ grow into PHRASAL VERB When a child grows into an item of clothing, they become taller or bigger so that it fits them properly. □ [V P n] It's a bit big, but she'll soon grow into it.
▸ grow on PHRASAL VERB If someone or something grows on you, you start to like them more and more. □ [V P n] Slowly and strangely, the place began to grow on me.
▸ grow out of
1 PHRASAL VERB If you grow out of a type of behaviour or an interest, you stop behaving in that way or having that interest, as you develop or change. □ [V P P n] Most children who stammer grow out of it.
2 PHRASAL VERB When a child grows out of an item of clothing, they become so tall or big that it no longer fits them properly. □ [V P P n] You've grown out of your shoes again.
▸ grow up
1 PHRASAL VERB When someone grows up , they gradually change from being a child into being an adult. □ [V P ] She grew up in Tokyo.
2 → see also grown-up
3 PHRASAL VERB [usu imper] If you tell someone to grow up , you are telling them to stop behaving in a silly or childish way. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ [V P ] It's time you grew up.
4 PHRASAL VERB If something grows up , it starts to exist and then becomes larger or more important. □ [V P ] A variety of heavy industries grew up alongside the port. COLLOCATIONS grow VERB 8
noun + grow : concern, fear, suspicion; business, demand, economy, industry, market; profit, revenue, sales
grow + adverb : fast, quickly, rapidly; significantly, steadily, strongly; slowly
grow|er /groʊ ə r / (growers ) N‑COUNT A grower is a person who grows large quantities of a particular plant or crop in order to sell them. □ …England's apple growers.
gro w|ing pains
1 N‑PLURAL [usu with poss] If a person or organization suffers from growing pains , they experience temporary difficulties and problems at the beginning of a particular stage of development. □ There's some sympathy for this new country's growing pains.
2 N‑PLURAL If children suffer from growing pains , they have pain in their muscles or joints that is caused by unusually fast growth.
gro w|ing sea|son (growing seasons ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] The growing season in a particular country or area is the period in each year when the weather and temperature is right for plants and crops to grow.
growl /graʊ l/ (growls , growling , growled )
1 VERB When a dog or other animal growls , it makes a low noise in its throat, usually because it is angry. □ [V ] The dog was biting, growling and wagging its tail. ● N‑COUNT Growl is also a noun. □ The bear exposed its teeth in a muffled growl.
2 VERB If someone growls something, they say something in a low, rough, and angry voice. [WRITTEN ] □ [V n] His fury was so great he could hardly speak. He growled some unintelligible words at Pete. □ [V with quote] 'I should have killed him,' Sharpe growled. ● N‑COUNT Growl is also a noun. □ …with an angry growl of contempt for her own weakness.
grown /groʊ n/
1 ADJ [ADJ n] A grown man or woman is one who is fully developed and mature, both physically and mentally. □ Few women can understand a grown man's love of sport. □ Dad, I'm a grown woman. I know what I'm doing.
2 → see also full-grown
gro wn-u p (grown-ups ) The spelling grownup is also used. The syllable up is not stressed when it is a noun. 1 N‑COUNT A grown-up is an adult; used by or to children. □ Tell children to tell a grown-up if they're being bullied.