/ siːd; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
OF PLANTS / FRUIT
1.
[ C , U ] the small hard part produced by a plant, from which a new plant can grow :
a packet of wild flower seeds
sesame seeds
Sow the seeds outdoors in spring.
These vegetables can be grown from seed.
seed potatoes (= used for planting)
—see also birdseed
2.
[ C ] ( NAmE ) = pip (2)
—picture at watermelon
BEGINNING
3.
[ C , usually pl. ] seed (of sth) the beginning of a feeling or a development which continues to grow :
the seeds of rebellion
This planted the seeds of doubt in my mind.
IN TENNIS
4.
[ C ] ( especially in tennis ) one of the best players in a competition. The seeds are given a position in a list to try and make sure that they do not play each other in the early parts of the competition :
The top seed won comfortably.
the number one seed
OF A MAN
5.
[ U ] ( old-fashioned or humorous ) semen
6.
[ U ] ( literary ) all the people who are the children, grandchildren, etc. of one man
•
IDIOMS
- go / run to seed
—more at sow verb
■ verb
OF A PLANT
1.
[ v ] to produce seeds
2.
[ vn ] seed itself to produce other plants using its own seeds
AREA OF GROUND
3.
[ vn ] [ usually passive ] seed sth (with sth) to plant seeds in an area of ground :
a newly seeded lawn
IN TENNIS
4.
[ vn ] [ usually passive ] to make sb a seed in a competition :
He has been seeded 14th at Wimbledon next week.
••
WORD ORIGIN
Old English sǣd , of Germanic origin; related to Dutch zaad , German Saat , also to sow (I).