Lewis & Short

cresco, crēvi, crētum, 3 (inf. perf. sync. cresse, Lucr. 3, 683), v. inch. n. [1. creo].

  1. I. Orig., of things not previously in existence, to come forth, grow, to arise, spring, be born, become visible, appear (so mostly poet.)
    1. A. Lit.: cetera, quae sursum crescunt sursumque creantur, Lucr. 6, 527: quaecumque e terrā corpora crescunt (for which, subsequently, exoriuntur), id. 1, 868: corpore de patrio ac materno sanguine crescunt, id. 4, 1210: hic et acanthus Et rosa crescit, Verg. Cul. 397.
      So esp. freq. in part. perf.: crētus, a, um, arisen, sprung, descended from, born of; with abl.: mortali corpore cretus, Lucr. 5, 6; 2, 906; cf.: mortali semine, Ov. M. 15, 760: corpore materno, Lucr. 4, 1224: nativo corpore, id. 5, 61: Semiramio sanguine, Ov. M. 5, 85; cf. id. ib. 13, 31: Amyntore, id. ib. 8, 307; cf. Verg. A. 9, 672; Ov. M. 13, 750.
      With ab: ab origine eādem, Ov. M. 4, 607; cf.: Trojano a sanguine, Verg. A. 4, 191.
    2. B. Trop.: haec villa inter manus meas crevit, Sen. Ep. 12, 1: ingens hic terris crescit labor, Sil. 3, 75.
      Far more freq.,
  2. II. Of things already in existence, to rise in height, to rise, grow, grow up, thrive, increase, etc.
    1. A. Lit.: arbores, Lucr. 1, 254; so, fruges, arbusta, animantes, id. 1, 808: omnia paulatim crescunt (with grandescere alique), id. 1, 190 sq.: ut (ostrea) cum lunā pariter crescant pariterque decrescant, Cic. Div. 2, 14, 33: in lecticis crescunt (infantes), Quint. 1, 2, 7: cresce, puer, Ov. M. 2, 643 et saep.: in cujus domo creverat, had grown up, been reared, Suet. Oth. 1; cf.: Alexander per quinquennium sub Aristotele doctore mclito crevit, Just. 12, 16, 8: Nilus in aestatem crescit campisque redundat, Lucr. 6, 713; cf. of the same, id. 6, 737: Liger ex nivibus creverat, Caes. B. G. 7, 55 fin.: in frondem crines, in ramos bracchia, to grow into, Ov. M. 1, 550; cf.: in ungues manus, id. ib. 2, 479: in immensum Atlas, id. ib. 4, 661: in latitudinem, to increase in breadth, Col. Arb. 17: in longitudinem, Plin. 11, 37, 87, § 216: super ora caputque onus, Ov. M. 12, 516: ut clivo crevisse putes, id. ib. 8, 191 et saep.
      1. 2. Transf., to increase in number to, augment, multiply: non mihi absenti crevisse amicos, Cic. Sest. 32, 69 (B. and K. ex conj. decrevisse): adhuc crescentibus annis, Ov. A. A. 1, 61.
    2. B. Trop.
      1. 1. In gen., to grow, increase, to be enlarged or strengthened: cum Atheniensium opes senescere, contra Lacedaemoniorum crescere videret, Nep. Alcib. 5, 3; so, hostium opes animique, Cic. Imp. Pomp. 15, 45: non animi tantum, sed etiam vires crescebant, Liv. 5, 46, 4: animus laude crescit, Quint. 1, 2, 3; Curt. 4, 6, 13; Just. 19, 1, 8: animus crevit praetori, Liv. 44, 4, 1: cujusvis opes contra illius potentiam, Sall. C. 17, 7: cujusquam regnum per scelus, id. J. 14, 7: potentia paucorum (opp. plebis opes imminutae), id. C. 39, 1; Liv. 4, 2, 2 et saep.: haec (mala) primo paulatim, Sall. C. 10, 6: primo pecuniae, deinde imperii cupido, id. ib. 10, 3: fuga atque formido latius, id. J. 55, 7: licentia, id. C. 51, 30: inopia omnium, Liv. 21, 11, 12: rerum cognitio cottidie, Quint. 12, 11, 17: quā ex re creverat cum famā tum opibus, Nep. Alcib. 7 fin.; cf.: (Saguntini) in tantas brevi creverant opes, Liv. 21, 7, 3: Rhodiorum civitas populi Romani opibus, Sall. C. 51, 5; cf.: qui malo rei publicae, id. ib. 51, 32: usque ego postera Crescam laude recens, Hor. C. 3, 30, 8: a brevibus in longas (iambi), Quint. 9, 4, 136.
      2. 2. In partic., to rise or increase in distinction, honor, courage, etc., to be promoted or advanced, to prosper, to become great, attain honor: accusarem alios potius, ex quibus possem crescere, Cic. Rosc. Am. 30, 83: ex invidiā senatoriā, id. Clu. 28, 77: ex his, Liv. 29, 37, 17: ex me, id. 35, 19, 5: de uno isto, de multis, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 67, § 173: dignitate, gratiā, Nep. Att. 21, 1; cf. id. ib. 10, 3; and absol.: crescendi in curiā occasio, Liv. 1, 46, 2: cresco et exsulto et discussā senectute recalesco, quotiens, etc., Sen. Ep. 34, 1; cf.: gaudet et ex nostro crescit maerore Charaxus, Ov. H. 15, 117: hic uno modo crescere potest, si se ipse summittat, etc., Plin. Pan. 71, 4.