Adjacent Words

Mature definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

MATU'RE, a. [L. maturus; meto.]
1. Ripe; perfected by time or natural growth; as a man of mature age. We apply it to a young man of mature age. We apply it to a young man who has arrived to the age when he is supposed to be competent to manage his own concerns; to a young woman who is fit to be married; and to elderly men who have much experience.
Their prince is a man of learning and virtue,
mature in years--
Mature the virgin was, of Egypt's race.
How shall I meet or how accost the sage,
Unskilled in speech, nor yet mature of age.
2. Brought to perfection; used of plants. The wheat is mature.
3. Completed; prepared; ready. The plan or scheme was mature.
This lies glowing, and is mature for the violent breaking out.
4. Ripe; come to suppuration; as,the tumor is mature.
MATU'RE, v.t. [L. maturo.] To ripen; to hasten to a perfect state; to promote ripeness.
Prick an apple with a pin full of holes, not deep,and smear it with sack, to see if the virtual heat of the wine will not mature it.
1. To advance towards perfection.
Love indulged my labors past,
Matures my present, and shall bound my last.
MATU'RE, v.i. To advance toward ripeness; to become ripe or perfect. Wine matures by age, or by agitation in a long voyage. The judgment matures by age and experience.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: characteristic of maturity; "mature for her age" [ant: immature]
2: fully considered and perfected; "mature plans" [syn: mature, matured]
3: having reached full natural growth or development; "a mature cell" [ant: immature]
4: fully developed or matured and ready to be eaten or used; "ripe peaches"; "full-bodied mature wines" [syn: ripe, mature] [ant: green, immature, unripe, unripened]
5: (of birds) having developed feathers or plumage; often used in combination [syn: fledged, mature] [ant: immature, unfledged] v
1: develop and reach maturity; undergo maturation; "He matured fast"; "The child grew fast" [syn: mature, maturate, grow]
2: develop and work out fully in one's mind; "I need to mature my thoughts"
3: become due for repayment; "These bonds mature in 2005"
4: cause to ripen or develop fully; "The sun ripens the fruit"; "Age matures a good wine" [syn: ripen, mature]
5: grow old or older; "She aged gracefully"; "we age every day-- what a depressing thought!"; "Young men senesce" [syn: senesce, age, get on, mature, maturate]
6: cause to ripen and discharge pus; "The oil suppurates the pustules" [syn: suppurate, mature]

Merriam Webster's

I. adjective (maturer; -est) Etymology: Middle English, from Latin maturus ripe; akin to Latin mane in the morning, manus good Date: 15th century 1. based on slow careful consideration <a mature judgment> 2. a. (1) having completed natural growth and development ; ripe (2) having undergone maturation b. having attained a final or desired state <mature wine> c. having achieved a low but stable growth rate <paper is a mature industry> d. of, relating to, or being an older adult ; elderly <airline discounts for mature travelers> 3. a. of or relating to a condition of full development b. characteristic of or suitable to a mature individual <mature outlook> <a show with mature content> 4. due for payment <a mature loan> 5. belonging to the middle portion of a cycle of erosion • maturely adverb II. verb (matured; maturing) Date: 15th century transitive verb to bring to maturity or completion intransitive verb 1. to become fully developed or ripe 2. to become due

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj. & v. --adj. (maturer, maturest) 1 with fully developed powers of body and mind, adult. 2 complete in natural development, ripe. 3 (of thought, intentions, etc.) duly careful and adequate. 4 (of a bill etc.) due for payment. --v. 1 a tr. & intr. develop fully. b tr. & intr. ripen. c intr. come to maturity. 2 tr. perfect (a plan etc.). 3 intr. (of a bill etc.) become due for payment. Phrases and idioms: mature student an adult student who is older than most students. Derivatives: maturely adv. matureness n. maturity n. Etymology: ME f. L maturus timely, early

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Mature Ma*ture", a. [Compar. Maturer; superl. Maturest.] [L. maturus; prob. akin to E. matin.] 1. Brought by natural process to completeness of growth and development; fitted by growth and development for any function, action, or state, appropriate to its kind; full-grown; ripe. Now is love mature in ear. --Tennison. How shall I meet, or how accost, the sage, Unskilled in speech, nor yet mature of age ? --Pope. 2. Completely worked out; fully digested or prepared; ready for action; made ready for destined application or use; perfected; as, a mature plan. This lies glowing, . . . and is almost mature for the violent breaking out. --Shak. 3. Of or pertaining to a condition of full development; as, a man of mature years. 4. Come to, or in a state of, completed suppuration. Syn: Ripe; perfect; completed; prepared; digested; ready. Usage: Mature, Ripe. Both words describe fullness of growth. Mature brings to view the progressiveness of the process; ripe indicates the result. We speak of a thing as mature when thinking of the successive stayes through which it has passed; as ripe, when our attention is directed merely to its state. A mature judgment; mature consideration; ripe fruit; a ripe scholar.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Mature Ma*ture", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Matured; p. pr. & vb. n. Maturing.] [See Maturate, Mature.] To bring or hasten to maturity; to promote ripeness in; to ripen; to complete; as, to mature one's plans. --Bacon.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Mature Ma*ture", v. i. 1. To advance toward maturity; to become ripe; as, wine matures by age; the judgment matures by age and experience. 2. Hence, to become due, as a note.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(matures, maturing, matured, maturer, maturest) 1. When a child or young animal matures, it becomes an adult. You will learn what to expect as your child matures physically... = grow up VERB: V 2. When something matures, it reaches a state of complete development. When the trees matured they were cut in certain areas... VERB: V 3. If someone matures, they become more fully developed in their personality and emotional behaviour. Hopefully after three years at university I will have matured... VERB: V 4. If you describe someone as mature, you think that they are fully developed and balanced in their personality and emotional behaviour. They are emotionally mature and should behave responsibly... ADJ [approval] 5. If something such as wine or cheese matures or is matured, it is left for a time to allow its full flavour or strength to develop. Unlike wine, brandy matures only in wood, not glass. ...the cellars where the cheeses are matured. VERB: V, be V-ed 6. Mature cheese or wine has been left for a time to allow its full flavour or strength to develop. Grate some mature cheddar cheese. ADJ: usu ADJ n 7. When an investment such as a savings policy or pension plan matures, it reaches the stage when you stop paying money and the company pays you back the money you have saved, and the interest your money has earned. (BUSINESS) These bonuses will be paid when your savings plan matures in ten years' time. VERB: V 8. If you say that someone is mature or of mature years, you are saying politely that they are middle-aged or old. ...a man of mature years who had been in the job for longer than most of the members could remember. ADJ [politeness]

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. a. 1. Perfected by time, complete, perfect, ripe, full-grown. 2. Prepared, ready, well-considered, well digested, completed, ripe. II. v. a. 1. Ripen. 2. Perfect, bring to perfection, bring to maturity, advance toward perfection. III. v. n. 1. Become ripe. 2. Become due.

Moby Thesaurus

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