cultivate

Word family

cul·ti·vate /ˈkʌltɪveɪt/ verb [transitiveT]

1 TACGROW PLANTS, VEGETABLES ETCto prepare and use land for growing crops and plants 耕，耕作；开垦

The land was too rocky to cultivate.

这块地石头太多，无法耕作。

2 formal to plant and take care of a particular crop 种植，培育 SYN grow

We cultivated maize and watermelons.

我们种植玉米和西瓜。

In everyday English, people usually say someone grows a crop rather than cultivates it: 在日常英语中，人们说种植作物时一般用grow，而不用cultivate

They have been growing grapes there for hundreds of years.

他们几百年来一直在那里种植葡萄。

3 DEVELOPto work hard to develop a particular skill, attitude, or quality 培养，养成〔技能、态度或素质〕

Try to cultivate a more relaxed and positive approach to life.

要努力养成更为放松和积极的生活态度。

The company has been successful in cultivating a very professional image.

公司成功地树立了一个非常专业的形象。

4 FRIENDto make an effort to develop a friendly relationship with someone, especially someone who can help you 〔为了利益〕与…交往，结交〔朋友〕

Professor Gladwyn would be an acquaintance worth cultivating.

格拉德温教授是值得结交的朋友。

Examples from the Corpus

cultivate• He's spent years cultivating a knowledge of art.• Christoffers has cultivated a network among antiques dealers, collectors and museum staff who will allow her to copy their prize pieces.• He also cultivates an amiable sort of ruthlessness.• Her marriage allowed her to cultivate friendships with the Paris literary elite.• The most sophisticated farmers are the leaf-cutting ants, which cultivate fungus on fresh vegetation thanks to an assembly-line of specialised castes.• The second species, R. humilis, has been imported and is cultivated in aquariums and terrariums.• Dozens of eucalyptus species are cultivated in the arboretum.• Minnesota has long cultivated its cultural image.• Baseball teams spend a lot on cultivating new talent.• In greenhouse or field, pollen and egg from wild tomatoes were tested for the ability to cross with cultivated plants.• The tribe cultivated the land and grew the food.• Population growth is causing people to clear more woodland so that they can cultivate the land.• Converse purchased a pint of Gold Leaf Cognac to cultivate the management.• Nearer the coast, huge areas of land are given over to cultivating tomatoes.• Specimens cultivated under this name for some forty to fifty years have never flowered.• Gradually it was found more profitable to cultivate vines and olives rather than grain.

From Longman Business Dictionary

cultivatecul·ti·vate /ˈkʌltɪveɪt/ verb [transitiveT]

1FARMINGto prepare and use land for growing crops and plants

Some of the land would be impossible to cultivate.

2to develop a particular skill or quality in yourself

The company has been successful in cultivating a very professional image.

3to make an effort to develop a friendly relationship with someone who could be useful to you

Professor Gladwyn would be an acquaintance worth cultivating.

Origin cultivate

(1600-1700) Medieval Latin past participle of cultivare, from cultivus “used for crops”, from Latin cultus, past participle of colere “to cultivate”

Chinese

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