grow up

British  

verb

1. to reach maturity; become adult

2. to come into existence; develop

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grow up Idioms  

1. Become an adult, as in Sam wants to be a policeman when he grows up . [First half of 1500s]

2. Come into existence, arise, as in Similar social problems grew up in all the big cities . [Late 1500s]

3. Become mature or sensible, as in It's time you grew up and faced the facts . This usage may also be in the form of an imperative (as in Don't bite your nails—grow up! ) [Mid-1900s]

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Example Sentences

He grew up in South Holland, a short distance from Leo's Dolton neighbourhood in the suburb of Chicago.

From BBC

The child of a Pentecostal school principal raised outside Portland, Ore., Waggoner grew up witnessing tension between religious groups and a progressive local government.

From The Wall Street Journal

It has always been something growing up that I watched on TV.

From BBC

Compounding the pain has been the arrest of their son Nick, who lived in the Reiners’ guesthouse and grew up in the area.

From Los Angeles Times

In his statement, he said he thinks about Ms Nazarova every day and how he wishes she could see their daughter growing up.

From BBC

Related Words

• advance
• establish
• evolve
• expand
• flourish
• grow
• progress
• promote