ENGLISH
REFERENCE

grow back

phr. v..
A2 Elementary Oxford General-service

phr. v.. to start growing again after being cut or lost.

phr. v.. to regrow or return to a previous state of growth following removal, loss, or pruning; typically used in biological contexts such as hair, plants, or limbs.


SIMPLE

My hair will grow back soon.

CONTEXTUAL

If you cut the grass too short in the summer, it might not grow back quickly.

COMPLEX

Biologists are studying how certain reptiles possess the unique ability to grow back their tails after escaping a predator.

Particles
back
Separability
optional
Pattern
grow + back
Usage

usually used intransitively, but can be used transitively when referring to specific body parts or plant sections.

Teaching tip

contrast with 'regrow' to show how phrasal verbs often provide the more common, everyday alternative to Latinate verbs in English.

Pitfall

My hair will grow it back.My hair will grow back.when the subject is the thing growing, the verb is intransitive and does not take an object.

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