English Dictionary

VEGETATE

Pronunciation (US): Play  (GB): Play

IPA (US): 

 Dictionary entry overview: What does vegetate mean? 

VEGETATE (verb)
  The verb VEGETATE has 7 senses:

1. lead a passive existence without using one's body or mindplay

2. establish vegetation onplay

3. produce vegetationplay

4. grow like a plantplay

5. grow or spread abnormallyplay

6. propagate asexuallyplay

7. engage in passive relaxationplay

  Familiarity information: VEGETATE used as a verb is common.


 Dictionary entry details 


VEGETATE (verb)

 Conjugation: 
Present simple: I / you / we / they vegetate  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation ... he / she / it vegetates  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation
Past simple: vegetated  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation
Past participle: vegetated  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation
-ing form: vegetating  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation


Sense 1

Meaning:

Lead a passive existence without using one's body or mind

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Hypernyms (to "vegetate" is one way to...):

live (lead a certain kind of life; live in a certain style)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

vegetation (inactivity that is passive and monotonous, comparable to the inactivity of plant life)

vegetative (of or relating to an activity that is passive and monotonous)


Sense 2

Meaning:

Establish vegetation on

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

They vegetated the hills behind their house

Hypernyms (to "vegetate" is one way to...):

grow (cause to grow or develop)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

vegetation (all the plant life in a particular region or period)


Sense 3

Meaning:

Produce vegetation

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

The fields vegetate vigorously

Hypernyms (to "vegetate" is one way to...):

grow (increase in size by natural process)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

vegetation (the process of growth in plants)


Sense 4

Meaning:

Grow like a plant

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

This fungus usually vegetates vigorously

Hypernyms (to "vegetate" is one way to...):

grow (increase in size by natural process)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

vegetation (the process of growth in plants)


Sense 5

Meaning:

Grow or spread abnormally

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

warts and polyps can vegetate if not removed

Hypernyms (to "vegetate" is one way to...):

grow (become larger, greater, or bigger; expand or gain)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

vegetation (an abnormal growth or excrescence (especially a warty excrescence on the valves of the heart))


Sense 6

Meaning:

Propagate asexually

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Context example:

The bacterial growth vegetated along

Hypernyms (to "vegetate" is one way to...):

propagate (multiply sexually or asexually)

Domain category:

biological science; biology (the science that studies living organisms)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

vegetative ((of reproduction) characterized by asexual processes)


Sense 7

Meaning:

Engage in passive relaxation

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

vege out; vegetate

Context example:

After a hard day's work, I vegetate in front of the television

Hypernyms (to "vegetate" is one way to...):

decompress; loosen up; relax; slow down; unbend; unwind (become less tense, rest, or take one's ease)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

vegetation (inactivity that is passive and monotonous, comparable to the inactivity of plant life)

vegetative (of or relating to an activity that is passive and monotonous)


 Context examples 


In modern times, disturbances associated with land use are believed to be a dominant factor contributing to the activation of stabilized vegetated dunes in drylands.

(Sleeping sands of the Kalahari awaken after more than 10,000 years, NSF)

It's unclear, say D'Odorico and Okin, whether the Kalahari's dunes hang on the edge of a tipping point between their current state—vegetated fixed linear dunes—or have moved to what researchers call a degraded state, barren and active dunes.

(Sleeping sands of the Kalahari awaken after more than 10,000 years, NSF)



 Learn English with... Proverbs 
"Nothing ventured, nothing gained." (English proverb)

"Slowly-slowly, even a file can turn a beam into a needle." (Albanian proverb)

"If you opress who is below you then you won't be safe from the punishment of who is above you." (Arabic proverb)

"A closed mouth catches neither flies nor food." (Corsican proverb)



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