seed

n. & v.
—n.
1 a a flowering plant's unit of reproduction (esp. in the form of grain) capable of developing into another such plant. b seeds collectively, esp. as collected for sowing (is full of seed; to be kept for seed).
2 a semen. b milt.
3 (foll. by of) prime cause, beginning, germ (seeds of doubt).
4 archaic offspring, progeny, descendants (the seed of Abraham).
5 Sport a seeded player.
6 a small seedlike container for the application of radium etc.
7 a seed crystal.
—v.
1 tr. a place seeds in. b sprinkle with or as with seed.
2 intr. sow seeds.
3 intr. produce or drop seed.
4 tr. remove seeds from (fruit etc.).
5 tr. place a crystal or crystalline substance in (a solution etc.) to cause crystallization or condensation (esp. in a cloud to produce rain).
6 tr. Sport a assign to (a strong competitor in a knockout competition) a position in an ordered list so that strong competitors do not meet each other in early rounds (is seeded seventh). b arrange (the order of play) in this way.
7 intr. go to seed.
Phrases and idioms:
go (or run) to seed 1 cease flowering as seed develops.
2 become degenerate, unkempt, ineffective, etc. raise up seed archaic beget children.
seed-bed
1 a bed of fine soil in which to sow seeds.
2 a place of development. seed-cake cake containing whole seeds esp. of caraway as flavouring. seed-coat the outer integument of a seed.
seed-corn
1 good quality corn kept for seed.
2 assets reused for future profit or benefit. seed crystal a crystal used to initiate crystallization. seed-eater a bird (esp. a finch) living mainly on seeds. seed-fish a fish that is ready to spawn. seed-leaf a cotyledon. seed-lip a basket for seed in sowing by hand. seed money money allocated to initiate a project. seed-pearl a very small pearl. seed-plot a place of development. seed-potato a potato kept for seed. seed-time the sowing season. seed-vessel a pericarp.
Derivatives:
seedless adj.
Etymology: OE saeligd f. Gmc, rel. to SOW(1)