sprout up
sprout up
1. Literally, of a plant, to grow up above the soil. I can't believe some flowers are already sprouting up—I only planted them last week! A bunch of weeds sprouted up in the front yard over the weekend.
2. To appear or arise very quickly and suddenly. Problems started sprouting up as soon as the software went live. Cafés and boutique shops have been sprouting up all over this part of town in recent months.
See also: sprout, up
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
sprout up
to grow upward quickly, as do newly sprouted seedlings. The seeds sprouted up in the warm rains. Many of the newly planted seeds failed to sprout up on time.
See also: sprout, up
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
sprout up
v.
1. To emerge from the soil and grow rapidly: Weeds had sprouted up through the cracks in the pavement.
2. To emerge and develop rapidly: Within a few years, strip malls had sprouted up across the county.
See also: sprout, up
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.
- sprout
- literally
- take root
- take root, to
- spring up like mushrooms
- widow's weeds
- (the) survival of the fittest
- beat the living daylights out of
- beat the tar out of