grow
‘grow’
When children or young animals grow, they become bigger or taller. The past tense of grow is grew. The -ed participle is grown.
The doctor will check that the baby is growing normally.
The plant grew to a height of over 1 metre.
Has he grown any taller?
‘grow up’
When someone grows up, they gradually change from a child into an adult.
He grew up in Cambridge.
They grew up at a time when there was no television.
Be careful
Don't confuse the verbs grow up and bring up. If you bring up a child, you look after it as it grows up. Don't say ‘grow up a child’.
Don't confuse the verbs grow up and bring up. If you bring up a child, you look after it as it grows up. Don't say ‘grow up a child’.
We thought the village was the perfect place to bring up a family.
used to mean ‘become’
Grow is also used to mean ‘become’.
He's growing old.
The sky grew dark.
➜ See become
‘grow to’
If you grow to feel or think something, you gradually start to feel or think it.
After a few months, I grew to hate my job.
➜ See get to - grow to