accrete
/ə'kri:t/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To grow or increase gradually by the addition of external layers or parts: To accumulate or be deposited over time, often around a central point or core.
- To grow together or become fused: To unite or join by natural growth, as of tissues, plants, or separate parts.
Examples of Usage
- Verb:
- Over centuries, layers of sediment accrete on the ocean floor to form rock.
- The two branches of the tree had accreted where they touched, forming a single limb.
- A sense of tradition accretes around ancient rituals over many generations.
Advanced Usage
- "to accrete to": To be added or attached to something, increasing its size or mass.
- New responsibilities gradually accreted to the original role of the position.
- Used in scientific contexts (geology, biology, astronomy) to describe natural growth processes.
- Planets are believed to accrete from dust and gas in a protoplanetary disk.
Variants and Related Words
- Accretion (n): The process of growth or increase by gradual accumulation.
- The accretion of wealth was slow but steady.
- Accretive (adj): Relating to or promoting growth by gradual addition.
- The deal was accretive to the company's earnings.
Synonyms
- Accumulate: To gather or build up over time.
- Amass: To collect or accumulate a large quantity of something.
- Coalesce: To come together to form one mass or whole.
Phrasal Verbs
- Accrete onto: To gradually build up or become attached to a surface or object.
- Mineral deposits slowly accreted onto the old pipes.
Related Idioms
- Accrete like a snowball: To grow increasingly larger or more significant through gradual additions, similar to a rolling snowball gathering more snow.
- The scandal accreted like a snowball, drawing in more figures each week.
Verb
- grow or become attached by accretion
- The story accreted emotion
- grow together (of plants and organs)
- After many years the rose bushes grew together