dictionary definitions for "mature"


From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  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.
     [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  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.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. Hence, to become due, as a note.
        [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Mature \Ma*ture"\, a. [Compar. Maturer; superl. Maturest.]
     [L. maturus; prob. akin to E. matin.]
     [1913 Webster]
     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.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Now is love mature in ear.            --Tennison.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              How shall I meet, or how accost, the sage,
              Unskilled in speech, nor yet mature of age? --Pope.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. Completely worked out; fully digested or prepared; ready
        for action; made ready for destined application or use;
        perfected; as, a mature plan.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              This lies glowing, . . . and is almost mature for
              the violent breaking out.             --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. Of or pertaining to a condition of full development; as, a
        man of mature years.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. Come to, or in a state of, completed suppuration.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     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.
            [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  developed \developed\ adj.
     1. being changed over time so as to be e.g. stronger or more
        complete or more useful; as, the developed qualities of
        the Hellenic outlook; the state's well-developed
        industries. Oppositre of undeveloped. [Narrower terms:
        formulated; mature]
        [WordNet 1.5]
  
     2. made more useful and profitable as by building or laying
        out roads; -- of real estate. new houses are springing up
        on the developed tract of land near the river
  
     Syn: improved.
          [WordNet 1.5]

From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:

  mature
      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]


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