資料來源 : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Mature \Ma*ture"\, a. [Compar. {Maturer}; superl. {Maturest}.]
   [L. maturus; prob. akin to E. matin.]
   1. Brought by natural process to completeness of growth and
      development; fitted by growth and development for any
      function, action, or state, appropriate to its kind;
      full-grown; ripe.

            Now is love mature in ear.            --Tennison.

            How shall I meet, or how accost, the sage, Unskilled
            in speech, nor yet mature of age ?    --Pope.

   2. Completely worked out; fully digested or prepared; ready
      for action; made ready for destined application or use;
      perfected; as, a mature plan.

            This lies glowing, . . . and is almost mature for
            the violent breaking out.             --Shak.

   3. Of or pertaining to a condition of full development; as, a
      man of mature years.

   4. Come to, or in a state of, completed suppuration.

   Syn: Ripe; perfect; completed; prepared; digested; ready.

   Usage: {Mature}, {Ripe}. Both words describe fullness of
          growth. Mature brings to view the progressiveness of
          the process; ripe indicates the result. We speak of a
          thing as mature when thinking of the successive stayes
          through which it has passed; as ripe, when our
          attention is directed merely to its state. A mature
          judgment; mature consideration; ripe fruit; a ripe
          scholar.