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Ripen

//ˈɹaɪpən// verb

Definitions

Verb
  1. 1
    to grow ripe; to become mature (said of grain, fruit, flowers etc.) intransitive

    "Grapes ripen in the sun."

  2. 2
    grow ripe wordnet
  3. 3
    To approach or come to perfection. intransitive

    "The acquaintance soon ripened into a warm attachment."

  4. 4
    cause to ripen or develop fully wordnet
  5. 5
    To cause (something) to mature; to make ripe transitive

    "The warm sun ripened the corn."

Show 1 more definition
  1. 6
    To mature; to fit or prepare; to bring to perfection transitive

    "ripen the judgment"

Etymology

From Middle English *ripenen, extended form of ripen, from Old English rīpian. In the modern form, equivalent to ripe + -en (inchoative and factitive suffix). As in several other verbs, the alteration seems to have occurred during the time when the infinitive and plural ending -en was in the process of being lost (and was thus open to reinterpretation). The earliest attestation is deverbal Middle English ripening (“causing ripeness, ripening”).

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