ripen

Verb

Verb Forms: ripened, ripening, ripens

To make or become ripe or fully developed.
cause to ripen or develop fully
- "The sun ripens the fruit"
grow ripe
- "The plums ripen in July"
to grow ripe; to become mature (said of grain, fruit, flowers etc.)
To approach or come to perfection.
To cause (something) to mature; to make ripe
To mature; to fit or prepare; to bring to perfection

Examples

Grapes ripen in the sun.
He waited for his hand to "RIPEN" with high-scoring tiles before making a move.
ripen the judgment
The warm sun ripened the corn.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English *ripenen, extended form of ripen, from Old English rīpian. In the modern form, equivalent to ripe + -en (inchoative and factitive suffix). As in several other verbs, the alteration seems to have occurred during the time when the infinitive and plural ending -en was in the process of being lost (and was thus open to reinterpretation). The earliest attestation is deverbal Middle English ripening (“causing ripeness, ripening”).

Synonyms

mature

Scrabble Score: 7

ripen: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
ripen: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
ripen: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 9

ripen: valid Words With Friends Word