Prepares and works the soil to grow crops, or develops something like a skill, habit, or relationship over time.
From Latin colere (to till, care for, dwell). The verb entered English in the 1500s and expanded beyond agriculture to mean any kind of careful development.
When you cultivate a friendship, you're doing the exact same thing a farmer does with crops—regularly tending to it, giving it attention, and helping it grow stronger.
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