1(of a living thing) undergo natural development by increasing in size and changing physically.

1. 1.1 (of a plant) germinate and develop.
   morels grow in a variety of places

   Example sentencesExamples

   • Grass was growing well in places where the work had been completed.
   • Until a seed imbibes water and begins to grow, weeders and cultivators have little effect.
   • Grass still grew in it; it just looked as though someone had taken a fifteen by fifteen scoop out of the ground and surrounded it by berry bushes.
   • Grass grew, foliage returned to trees' canopies, and blooming flowers proliferated.
   • Nitrate is the main source of nitrogen for most plant species growing in aerobic soils.
   • I'm trying to make the grass grow, and green plants produce oxygen, and that's supposed to help the environment.
   • You'll have cross-pollination to other canola crops that might be growing alongside roadsides and so on.
   • Plant species growing in the semi-arid regions of the world need to be adapted to an environment in which drought strongly affects plant growth.
   • It grows in pastures, cultivated fields, and waste places.
   • They spent a lot of the time talking about their farms, telling us how business was bad, and how long it took for various crops to grow, and other information like that.
   • The land in all its splendour was rich and the dark red soil held all the rain and mist which seeped into the ground feeding the crops that grew in abundance.
   • While I've been under the weather things have been growing in the fields and hedges, turning my little world back to a green and pleasant place.
   • Keeping the Valentine's Day rose crop warm while it grows requires a lot of heat.
   • The newly surfaced weed seeds that had been laying dormant deep in the soil will often not begin to grow until after the crop gets started.
   • Grass will never grow well under the viaducts, and attempting to make it do so contributes nothing to the beautification of the city.
   • Droughts cause crops to fail, while crops that do grow often are not gathered because of civil wars fought in the name of the starving.
   • Crops no longer grew, and the fish in the sea turned belly-up dead.
   • Grass grows well enough there, but it's usually found in raggedly in orchards, or on fields for animals to eat.
   • Grass is growing from gutters and belfry, and windows need to be replaced.
   • It is very useful indeed and, unlike cotton, doesn't need chemical fertilisers to grow and yield a crop.

   Synonyms

   sprout, shoot up, spring up, develop, bud, burst forth, germinate, bloom

   emerge, arise, spread

   flourish, thrive, run riot

   rare pullulate, vegetate, burgeon
2. 1.2with object Cause (plants) to germinate and develop.
   more land was needed to grow crops for export

   Example sentencesExamples

   • Mix plenty of compost into the soil, or grow the trees in raised beds.
   • If growing a mango tree from seed, it should be planted with the rounded end facing upwards and be placed just below the surface of the soil.
   • As anyone who grows fruit trees knows, you compete with several insects for each piece of fruit.
   • When last year Paul wanted to grow wheat, he planted four acres just to see if it would work.
   • They grew and sold their crops for a small profit, one that anyone could afford.
   • Commercially, the betel leaf crop is a labour intensive crop, grown in areas with abundant water.
   • Cultivated grapes cannot be grown profitably without the use of fungicides to control grape powdery mildew.
   • In that case, a farmer planted and grew wheat on his farm solely for his family's consumption.
   • Bring back a pear from your friend's village and plant it to grow pear trees in your own town.
   • Are you a certified organic producer and wondering whether and where you can obtain organic seed of the crops you plan to grow?
   • Various indigenous grasses were grown on each soil type to test their filtering effects.
   • Producers must understand the crops they grow and the amount of water used.
   • However, they are impossible to grow through artificial cultivation.
   • In a dry situation, durum is usually the best crop to grow because it is the most drought tolerant.
   • Christmas trees are grown commercially on plantations and are like any other crop except they take several years to reach maturity rather than just one.
   • The following should allow you to grow an attractive well shaped and sized bush with large lovely blooms.
   • Earlier, farmers used to grow only one sorghum crop.
   • She said children in the center also grow trees and plants for fruit and vegetables for their own daily consumption.
   • They don't seem to grow grass here for the sheep, but let them eat the weeds that do show up when the rains have come through.
   • By pollarding it we hope to prolong the life of the tree, giving us time to plant and grow replacement trees nearby.
   • The range of flavors is determined by where this plant species is grown and how it's processed.
   • At the same time, farmers should display a greater sense of discipline by listening to government suggestions while deciding what crops to grow.
   • Many small farmers, both Indian and Ladino, have replaced traditional subsistence crops with those grown for export.
   • These crops are harder to grow, requiring more money, water and skill.
   • Farmers may diversify by changing the crops they grow, the kinds of products they trade, or the places they live.
   • Over the course of the year they grow over 50 different crops.
   • Its warmth allows us to grow food, build shelters, and clothe ourselves.
   • The farm has started to grow herbs in consultation with the Chelsea Physic Garden - echinacea and St John's Wort so far.
   • You'll get the best fruit production if the tree is grown outdoors in summer and brought indoors before the first frost in fall.
   • Some grass is grown on the farm for hay or silage, together with swede, turnip or kale for winter forage because grass growth declines drastically in the winter.
   • She explains that she raises beef cattle and grows grain, potatoes, hay, and also tends a small vegetable garden.
   • He also raises 300 fed cattle, 300 nanny goats and grows 350 acres of crops.
   • He is a Madison, South Dakota, farmer who grows certified organic crops.
   • An elderly arthritis sufferer was recently jailed for growing cannabis plants.
   • If we choose fresh, organic, locally grown crops we are supporting gardeners and farmers who choose to maintain our right to good food.
   • He will advise farmers which crops to grow for heating and power generation, how to access grants and the potential pitfalls of growing alternative crops.
   • These trees are easily grown from seed which germinates very quickly.
   • For home gardeners, the best news is broccoli is one of the easiest crops to grow.
   • We visited Beulah Farm, which grows herbs and fruits, and sells its own fruit jam.
   • A little over 100 crop species are now grown intensively around the world, with only a handful of them supplying us with most of what we now eat.

   Synonyms

   cultivate, produce, propagate, raise, rear, bring on, nurture, tend

   farm, plant, sow
3. 1.3with object Allow or cause (a part of the body) to grow or develop.
   if a newt's leg is amputated, it will grow a new one

   with object and complement she grew her hair long

   Example sentencesExamples

   • My hair I had once again allowed to grow long and my body was also becoming that of a woman.
   • The myth tells that it is slowly growing its body back and when the body is complete, the Incas will return to rule their land.
   • At least they'd have probably been allowed to grow their hair long again.
   • It happens when, for unknown reasons, the body's immune system attacks the cells that grow hair.
   • The doctor then asked her where on her body she was growing hair.
   • Employers can, for example, require that men wear short hair, while allowing women to grow theirs long.
   • Once in the body, they could meld and warp the body to grow wings.
   • A recent decision in Victoria has allowed the police to grow their hair, so long as they keep it in bun while on duty.
   • They are actual alien life forms exploiting the gestational nature of my body to try and grow bodies of their own.
   • In that split second of my unleashing the wrath of God on this poor soul, she became covered with copious body hair, grew fangs and proceeded to turn into Mrs. Jekyll.
   • In fact, those guys were allowed to grow facial hair as well.
   • Pilots are typically not allowed to grow a beard because it prevents the oxygen mask from fitting properly.
   • In Masai culture, only warriors are allowed to grow their hair out.
   • So when she couldn't get up the tree, she unwittingly wished for more help, and her body responded by growing a tail.
   • They discovered he had grown a beard and allowed his hair to grow long.
   • Imagine growing a replacement body, having your head transplanted to it, and then eating the old body.
4. 1.4 (of something abstract) come into existence and develop.
   the play grew out of a drama school project

   a school of painting grew up in Cuzco

   Example sentencesExamples

   • At some point, a complex wooden network began to grow up the walls of the entrance area.
   • Cities in Afghanistan didn't grow because of the rivers; they grew up because they were on the ring road or connected to it.
   • Second, it seeks to reverse the insidious culture of division that has grown up around the existence of these principles.

   Synonyms

   originate, stem, spring, arise, have its origin, emerge, issue, spread, extend

   develop, evolve

2Become larger or greater over a period of time; increase.

1. 2.1with object Develop or expand (something, especially a business)
   entrepreneurs who are struggling to grow their businesses

   Example sentencesExamples

   • How are you supposed to have the time or energy to keep your body in shape while growing a company?
   • But it is the money from business that has grown the industry and accelerated the technology, not hobbying.
   • Are some places really better than others for starting and growing a business?
   • While that information was interesting, it will not help me in starting and growing a business here.
   • Next year, a 6 per cent rise in sales should allow IBM to grow earnings per share by 14 per cent.
   • In fact, good statesmanship allowed me to grow my coffers to rival the papacy - all without attacking across borders.
   • The company, which opened the offer this week, will use the money raised to grow its Australasian business and expand further overseas.
   • This group is primarily for young professionals and entrepreneurs who want to grow their business and their success network.
   • We cannot grow the business because if you want to grow the business you have to get more money.
   • We also grew the student body by one-third, from 180 students to 240.
   • Without a lot of money with which to advertise, how can I grow my business?
   • They explained how financial rules and accounting practices could be used to allow a company to grow its bottom line.
   • How do we not only grow our business but also expand our vision of who our customers are?
   • We are expanding but will grow a business to suit ourselves.
   • Company leaders must overcome this obstacle if they are to continue growing their business.
   • Analysts are of the opinion that the separation would allow the company to grow its nascent mobile and internet operations more aggressively.
   • It will be a challenge to grow the business in the increasingly complex medical device imaging marketplace.
   • The third is promoting the use of concrete and growing your business.
   • Is this a good time for retailers to look at growing their business by getting into the seed treatment business?
   • The report stated that while last year was a difficult year, most companies managed to grow their businesses and were quite upbeat about the future.

   Synonyms

   expand, improve, advance, develop, progress, make progress, make headway

   flourish, thrive, burgeon, prosper, succeed, be successful, get on well, boom

   informal go great guns, rocket, skyrocket

3with complement Become gradually or increasingly.

1. 3.1with infinitive (of a person) come to feel or think something over time.
   supposing we had grown to know and love nuclear power

   Example sentencesExamples

   • Janice, being the tactful veterinarian that I have grown to admire, calmly explained the situation to me in practical terms.
   • As much as we don't realize it, we've all grown to appreciate each other as much as we irritate one another and we are going to miss this year when we hear a song that takes us back.
   • Sorry, but I've grown to hate that voice of hers.
   • After a few listens I've grown to appreciate about half the songs, but it's still quite easily the weakest of all their albums.
   • He has quickly grown to love the work, the people it has brought him in contact with, and the region he had been waiting to return to.
   • Yet the same intuition she felt in childhood became even stronger during her teenage years and Christine discovered the identity she had grown to accept was not who she really was at all.
   • I love cooking, but I hate washing dishes, so I've grown to love two yummy recipes that require virtually no cleanup.
   • I have grown to appreciate, respect and admire them a lot.
   • Obviously factory work was worse because it was so bloody noisy as well, but I really grew to hate those assignments too, as people made the same mistakes over and over and over.
   • Well, as a former 10,000-metres runner, I have to pick the event I have grown to love more than any other.
   • If I had stayed in Iowa, would I have grown to love that place so well?
   • A lot of Christmas discs play around with the music we've grown to love over the years, but not enough try and make something unique enough to really stand out.
   • If so, it is because you have changed or because you have grown to see the person more clearly?
   • It may mean the end of the knock-about stuff we have grown to love and deplore at the same time, but, if yesterday was anything to go by, this will be replaced with a much smarter and subtler weekly clash.
   • I had grown to cherish the ways of a malleable four-year-old when, all of a sudden, she turned five and I learnt the difference the hard way.
   • I know he's just a comedian with a puppet, but I've just grown to love him.
   • The wife and son (two characters we have already grown to care about) are being forced to realize that a loved one is no longer the man they knew.
   • I have grown to like some of this so-called pop folk.
   • He has grown to recognize that the distinction is a bad one and that the artificially separated elements are mutually supporting and necessary.
   • And somewhere in there I realised I had grown to enjoy it.

   Synonyms

   become, come to be, get to be, get, turn, start to feel