Growed
In Appalachian and Southern speech, "growed" is the nonstandard past tense or past participle of "grow." It’s used to talk about someone or something having grown, especially children or crops.
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Hillbilly Dude Says...
I'd say 'growed' is mostly old timers, but I do hear it around. Hillbilly Dude Says...
I'd say 'growed' is mostly old timers, but I do hear it around. Pronunciation
[GROHD]
Meaning & Usage
- Past tense/past participle of "grow" (dialect verb form)
Mae:
He sure has growed since last summer.
He sure has growed since last summer.
Earl:
Yep - sprouted up like corn.
Yep - sprouted up like corn.- Used in set phrases
Mae:
Them beans ain’t growed much yet.
Them beans ain’t growed much yet.variations: grown (standard form)
★ "Growed" is one of the most enduring Appalachian verb forms. It follows the same pattern as "brung," "knowed," and "drug," showing how dialects analogize irregular verbs. Writers often use "growed" in dialogue to give characters a rural Southern voice. ★
Origin and Etymology
Rooted in Middle English analogies and carried over in Scots-Irish dialect brought to the Appalachians. It’s been noted in Southern and Appalachian dialect studies since at least the late 1800s.
Usage Notes
Still common in rural speech and among older speakers. Younger Southerners often switch to "grown" in formal writing but still say "growed" casually.
Say It Like a Southerner
Said plain: "growed" - rhymes with "road."