seed

seed¹ W3S3 [si:d] n plural seeds or seed

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1¦(plants)¦

2¦(in fruit)¦

3 seeds of something

4 go/run to seed

5 number one/two/three etc seed

6¦(sex)¦

7¦(family)¦

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[: Old English; Origin: sAd]

1.) ¦(PLANTS)¦

a) [U and C]

a small, hard object produced by plants, from which a new plant of the same kind grows

▪ sunflower seeds

plant/sow seeds

(=put them into the ground)

▪ Sow the seeds one inch deep in the soil.

grow sth from seed

(=grow a plant from a seed, rather than planting it when it is already partly grown)

b) [U]

a quantity of seeds

▪ grass seed

↑flesh, ↑seed, ↑skin

2.) ¦(IN FRUIT)¦ AmE

one of the small hard objects in a fruit such as an apple or orange, from which new fruit trees grow

British Equivalent: pip

3.) seeds of sth

written something that makes a new situation start to grow and develop

seeds of change/victory

▪ The seeds of change in Eastern Europe were beginning to emerge.

seeds of doubt/disaster/destruction etc

(=something which makes a bad feeling or situation develop)

▪ Something Lucy said began to sow seeds of doubt in his mind.

4.) go/run to seed

a) if a plant or vegetable goes or runs to seed, it starts producing flowers and seeds as well as leaves

b) if someone or something goes or runs to seed, they become less attractive or good, especially because they are getting old and have not been properly looked after

▪ The old central bus station is going to seed.

5.) number one/two/three etc seed

a player or team in a competition that is given a particular position, according to how likely they are to win

▪ He's been top seed for the past two years.

6.) ¦(SEX)¦[U]

biblical ↑semen or ↑sperm - often used humorously

7.) ¦(FAMILY)¦[U]

biblical the group of people who have a particular person as their father, grandfather etc, especially when they form a particular race

seed ²

seed² v

1.) [T]

to remove seeds from fruit or vegetables

▪ Add 1 lime, seeded and sliced.

2.) [T usually passive]

to give a player or team in a competition a particular position, according to how likely they are to win

▪ Graf, seeded fifth at Wimbledon

3.) [T usually passive]

to plant seeds in the ground

▪ a newly-seeded lawn

4.) [I]

to produce seeds

5.) seed itself

if a tree or plant seeds itself, it produces a new plant using its own seeds