mature

comparative more mature · superlative most mature

1. Fully developed; grown up in terms of physical appearance, behaviour or thinking; ripe.

   She is quite mature for her age.

   1 more example

   The excellent mature eggplants grown in the garden plot are quickly being picked up by family and friends.

   Synonyms: adult, adultish

2. Brought to a state of complete readiness.

   a mature plan

3. Profound; careful.

   On mature reflection, I feel it would be wiser not to sell.

   1 more example

   The headmaster decided to expel the boy after a mature consideration.

4. obsoletemedicineCome to, or in a state of, completed suppuration.
5. broadcastingSuitable for adults only, due to sexual themes, violence, etc.

   mature content

   Synonyms: adult

present singular third person matures · participle present maturing · participle past matured · past matured

1. intransitiveTo proceed toward maturity: full development or completion (either of concrete or of abstract things, e.g. plans, judgments, qualities).

   […] his originality, in the mean time, was maturing to perfection.

   1797, Mr. Harrison, “A Biographical Sketch of Hogarth”, in The Comick Magazine, volume 1, London: Harrison and Co., page 3

   Synonyms: develop, grow, progress, ripen

2. intransitiveespecially fruitTo attain maturity, to become mature or ripe.

   […] Trees […] have alwayes Fruit upon them, ripe, or preparing to mature;

   1670, John Evelyn, chapter 35, in Sylva, or, A Discourse of Forest-trees, London, page 246

   Synonyms: ripen, ripen up

3. transitiveTo bring (something) to maturity, full development, or completion.

   […] But these thoughts Full Counsel must mature:

   1667, John Milton, Paradise Lost, book 1, lines 659–660

   3 more examples

   […] much it now Imports they should be still deceiv’d, till time Matures our enterprize;

   1768, John Hoole, Cyrus: A Tragedy, London: T. Davies, act I, page 12

   […] I did not interrupt her, I was so busy maturing a plan I had had in my mind for some days […]

   1853, Elizabeth Gaskell, Cranford, New York: Harper, Chapter 13, p. 262,

   […] the long clean groove of her upper lip was ready to go into motion, as if she were going to break her silence with something momentous and long-matured; explain love to me, perhaps.

   1953 September 18, Saul Bellow, chapter VIII, in The Adventures of Augie March […], New York, N.Y.: The Viking Press, →OCLC, page 143

4. transitiveTo make (something, e.g. fruit) ripe or mature.

   […] a ship well freighted with the stores The sun matures on India’s spicy shores,

   1782, William Cowper, “Charity”, in Poems, London: J. Johnson, page 202

   1 more example

   There are certain vegetables like the tomato which require a long period to mature the fruit, and these must be started several weeks before the frosts have passed.

   2009, Hugh Findlay, Practical Gardening, Vegetables and Fruits

   Synonyms: ripen

5. intransitiveTo proceed toward or become mature or full-grown, either physically or psychologically; to gain experience or wisdom with age.

   Synonyms: age, develop, grow up

6. transitiveTo make (someone) mature.

   […] what I most wanted was time to grow up. The war had not matured me;

   1970, Robertson Davies, chapter 2, in Fifth Business, part 6, Toronto: Macmillan, page 103

   2 more examples

   Then Tom shall have his kite, and Fan new dollies, Till time matures them for important follies.

   1776, Hannah Cowley, The Runaway, London: Prologue

   Having parents who are "different" from other parents does not make my children's upbringing easy, but having four parents (or two sets of parents) hopefully will mature my children into adults respecting of diversity of personalities and pluralities of races, nationalities, and cultures.

   1986, A. Billy S. Jones, “A Father's Need; A Parent's Desire”, in Joseph Beam, editor, In The Life: A Black Gay Anthology, page 150

   Synonyms: age, antiquate, eld, obsolete

7. intransitivebusinessTo reach the date when payment is due.

   When the bond matures, the full face value is payable to its bearer.