cultivate

verb

• 1prepare and use (land) for crops or gardening: the peasants who cultivated the land became its owners
• break up (soil) in preparation for sowing or planting: (as adjective, with submodifier cultivated)damp, well-cultivated soil
• raise or grow (plants), especially on a large scale for commercial purposes: they were encouraged to cultivate basic food crops walnuts were cultivated for salad oil

• 2 Biology grow or maintain (living cells or tissue) in culture: blood cells that can be most easily cultivated are macrophages

• 3try to acquire or develop (a quality or skill):he cultivated an air of indifference
• try to win the friendship or favour of (someone):it helps if you go out of your way to cultivate the local people
• try to improve or develop (one’s mind).