Topic: PLANTS
 |
| Language: | Old English |
| Origin: | sæd |
| |||||||||
seed1 S3 W3
plural seeds or seed
plural seeds or seed1
plants
a) [uncountable and countable]HBP a small, hard object produced by plants, from which a new plant of the same kind grows : sunflower seeds
sunflower seeds grow something from seed (=grow a plant from a seed, rather than planting it when it is already partly grown)
b) [uncountable]HBP a quantity of seeds : grass seed
grass seed2 one of the small hard objects in a fruit such as an apple or orange, from which new fruit trees grow [= pip British English]
in fruit
[countable] American EnglishHBP3 something that makes a new situation start to grow and develop
seeds of something
written4
go/run to seed
a) HBP 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.
The old central bus station is going to seed.5 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.
number one/two/three etc seed
[countable]DSTHe's been top seed for the past two years.6 semen or sperm - often used humorously
sex
[uncountable] biblical7 the group of people who have a particular person as their father, grandfather etc, especially when they form a particular race
