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Webster 1913 Edition

Cultivate

Cul′ti-vate

(k?l′t?-v?t)
,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Cultivated
(-v?ˊt?d)
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Cultivating
(-v?ˊ-t?ng)
.]
[LL.
cultivatus
, p. p. of
cultivare
to cultivate, fr.
cultivus
cultivated, fr. L.
cultus
, p. p. of
colere
to till, cultivate. Cf.
Colony
.]
1.
To bestow attention, care, and labor upon, with a view to valuable returns; to till; to fertilize;
as, to
cultivate
soil
.
2.
To direct special attention to; to devote time and thought to; to foster; to cherish.
Leisure . . . to
cultivate
general literature.
Wordsworth.
3.
To seek the society of; to court intimacy with.
I ever looked on Lord Keppel as one of the greatest and best men of his age; and I loved and
cultivated
him accordingly.
Burke.
4.
To improve by labor, care, or study; to impart culture to; to civilize; to refine.
To
cultivate
the wild, licentious savage.
Addison.
The mind of man hath need to be prepared for piety and virtue; it must be
cultivated
to the end.
Tillotson.
5.
To raise or produce by tillage; to care for while growing;
as, to
cultivate
corn or grass
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Cultivate

CULTIVATE

,
Verb.
T.
[L., to till, to dwell.]
1.
To till; to prepare for crops; to manure, plow, dress, sow and reap; to labor on manage and improve in husbandry; as, to cultivate land; to cultivate a farm.
2.
To improve by labor or study; to advance the growth of; to refine and improve by correction of faults, and enlargement of powers or good qualities; as, to cultivate talents; to cultivate a taste for poetry.
3.
To study; to labor to improve or advance; as, to cultivate philosophy; to cultivate the mind.
4.
To cherish; to foster; to labor to promote and increase; as, to cultivate the love of excellence; to cultivate gracious affections.
5.
To improve; to meliorate, or to labor to make better; to correct; to civilize; as, to cultivate the wild savage.
6.
To raise or produce by tillage; as, to cultivate corn or grass.

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