昂じる

こうじる【高じる， 嵩じる， 昂じる】

grow on ［upon］

O (習慣などが)(人)にだんだん高じて［募って］くる.

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こうじる【高じる･昂じる】

grow [get] worse; worsen; intensify; grow in intensity; be aggravated; change for the worse.

●高じて…になる get worse and develop into…

・持病が高じてとうとう寝たきりになった. His old complaint grew worse (and worse) and he finally became bed-ridden.

・妻に対する疑念が次第に高じて夜も眠れなくなった. His suspicions about his wife grew gradually stronger [He gradually grew more and more suspicious about his wife], until he couldn't even sleep at night.

・風邪が高じて肺炎になることもある. A cold can develop into pneumonia.

・彼の気難しさは年とともに高じた. As he grew older he became still more querulous.

・ちょっとした誤解が高じて大げんかになった. A slight misunderstanding developed [turned] into a major quarrel.

・趣味が高じて本業がおろそかになった. His interest deepened increasingly [took over more and more] and his real job got neglected.