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foster up

C1 neutral separable transitive
In simple words

Look after and raise a child who is not your own until they grow up.

Literal meaning: To foster someone until they are grown up — the 'up' indicates completion of the rearing process.

Meanings

1 C1 neutral

To raise a foster child (or animal) through to adulthood with care and support.

"The couple fostered up three children over the course of twenty years."

Grammar: separable
Usage notes

Rare expression. 'Foster' alone is usually sufficient in standard usage. 'Foster up' emphasizes the completion of the fostering process — raising the child to adulthood. More common in American English.

Commonly used with

child kid animal pup infant

Forms

Base
foster up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
fosters up
he/she/it
Past simple
fostered up
yesterday
Past participle
fostered up
have + pp
-ing form
fostering up
continuous

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