grow away from (someone or something)
1. Literally, to grow and move away from something. Wow, those bushes have really grown away from each other since we bought the place. Well, if these trees had grown away from each other over the years, we wouldn't be in the situation we're in now, where their limbs have become intertwined. My hope when I planted those two hydrangea bushes was that they would grow toward each other and fill in this whole area. Instead, they've grown away from each other!
2. To experience a lessening of emotional intimacy in a relationship over time. Of course I still care about Ed—we've just grown away from each other over the years. We hardly even talk anymore. Plenty of married people realize they've grown away from their spouse once their kids go off to college. It takes work to keep a relationship alive. It's all too easy for two people to grow away from each other.
3. To become less dependent on someone. I knew the kids would grow away from us, but I guess I just didn't expect it to happen so soon. I know it hurts when your kid doesn't want to cuddle with you anymore, but kids grow away from their parents. That's just life. You need to let your kids grow away from you and live their own independent lives!
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
grow away from someone
[for someone] to become less intimate with someone; [for someone] to become independent of someone gradually. She has grown away from her husband over the years. We expect our children to grow away from us.
grow away from something
[for something] to move away from something as it grows. The tree grew away from the house—thank heavens. See if you can train the vine to grow away from the fence.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.