ripen

v. mature, become fully grown or developed; cause to mature, bring to a state of full development or growth

Ripening is a process in fruits that causes them to become more edible. In general, a fruit becomes sweeter, less acidic, less green, and softer as it ripens.The life stages of a plant are influenced by hormones. An important plant hormone involved with ripening is ethylene, a gas created by plants from the amino acid methionine. Ethylene increases the intracellular levels of certain enzymes in fruit and fresh-cut products, which include:Amylase, which hydrolyzes starch to produce simple sugars, andPectinase, which hydrolyzes pectin, a substance that keeps fruit hard.
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Verb
1. cause to ripen or develop fully; "The sun ripens the fruit"; "Age matures a good wine"
(synonym) mature
(hypernym) change, alter, modify
(derivation) maturation, ripening, maturement
2. grow ripe; "The plums ripen in July"
(hypernym) mature, maturate, grow
(derivation) maturation, ripening, maturement

(v. t.)
To mature; to fit or prepare; to bring to perfection; as, to ripen the judgment.
  

(v. t.)
To cause to mature; to make ripe; as, the warm days ripened the corn.
  

(v. i.)
To grow ripe; to become mature, as grain, fruit, flowers, and the like; as, grapes ripen in the sun.
  

(v. i.)
To approach or come to perfection.
  

Synonyms and related words:
advance, age, alter into, attain majority, be converted into, bear fruit, beautify, become, better, bloom, blossom, blow, bring to maturity, change into, come of age, come round to, come to fruition, come to maturity, complete, crown, culminate, cultivate, develop, do to perfection, elaborate, embellish, enhance, evolute, evolve, evolve into, fall into, fester, finish, fledge, flourish, flower, grow, grow up, heighten, improve, intensify, lapse into, leave the nest, matter, maturate, mature, mellow, melt into, open into, pass into, perfect, polish, progress, rankle, reach its season, reach manhood, reach maturity, reach twenty-one, reach voting age, refine, ripe, ripen into, run, run into, season, settle down, settle into, shift into, suppurate, temper, toga virilis, turn into, turn to, wax, weep