Date:    Thu, 25 Jun 1998 16:10:58 -0400
<br>From:    "Bethany K. Dumas" <dumasb[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]UTK.EDU>
<br>Subject: re 'grow' + abstract obj.
<br>
<br>Thanks, Beverly.
<br>
<br>Of course, when I cited the "relatively new" sense of tr. 'grow' I did
<br>not intend to include agriculture. We have, so far as I know, always
<br>grown plants. (At least, I have personal evidence that we have "raised"
<br>crops since at least 1940, for my family tell an anecdote about me when
<br>I was about 3 that includes 'raise' in that sense.) (And when did we start
<br>raisin' hell? Or cain?)
<br>
<br>What we appear not to have done until recently, is 'grow' abstract
<br>entities like the economy.
<br>
<br>However, I have been told that there is an OED cite from 1481 that may
<br>provide evidence otherwise. I have not checked it out yet.
<br>
<br>Bethany
<br>