seed

/si:d/

Thân thiện

A gardener plants a seed in the rich, dark soil.

Definition

1. Noun:

   • A small, hard object produced by a plant, from which a new plant can grow: This is the primary botanical meaning, referring to the reproductive unit of a flowering plant, often containing an embryo and stored food.
   • The beginning or source of something; a germ: This figurative meaning refers to the initial stage or cause from which something larger develops.
   • A seeded player or team in a sports tournament: In competitive sports, a player or team ranked and placed in a tournament bracket to avoid strong competitors meeting in early rounds.
   • Semen: The male reproductive fluid containing spermatozoa.

2. Verb:

   • To sow or plant seeds in the ground: The act of placing seeds in soil so they will grow.
   • To remove the seeds from a fruit or vegetable: The process of taking the seeds out of a plant part.
   • To distribute (players or teams) in a tournament as seeds: To arrange competitors according to a ranking system.
   • To develop or produce seeds: When a plant matures and forms seeds.
   • To provide initial capital or impetus for an enterprise: To fund or help start a project in its earliest phase.

Examples

• Noun:

  • She planted a sunflower seed in the pot.
  • His comment planted a seed of doubt in my mind.
  • The top seed was defeated in the first round of the tournament.

• Verb:

  • Farmers seed their fields in the spring.
  • Please seed the chili peppers before chopping them.
  • The committee will seed the top four teams.
  • The lettuce plants have begun to seed.
  • The venture capitalist agreed to seed the new startup.

Advanced Usage

• "to go/run to seed": (of a plant) to produce seeds and stop flowering; (figuratively, of a person or thing) to become old, unattractive, or less effective due to neglect.

  • The garden had been left unattended and had completely gone to seed.
  • After retiring, he let himself run to seed, rarely leaving the house.

• "seed money/capital": The initial funding used to start a new business or project.

  • They used their savings as seed money for the company.

Variants and Related Words

• Seeder (n): A machine or tool for sowing seeds; a person who seeds.
• Seedless (adj): Having no seeds.
  • Seedless grapes are very popular.
• Seeding (n): The action of sowing seeds or ranking players.
• Seedling (n): A young plant grown from a seed.

Synonyms

• Noun (botanical): Pip, kernel, stone, pit.
• Noun (figurative origin): Germ, nucleus, beginning, origin.
• Verb (to plant): Sow, scatter, plant.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Seed out: (Less common) To distribute or scatter seeds.
  • They seeded out the wildflower mix across the meadow.

Related Idioms

• Sow the seeds of...: To do something that will eventually cause a particular situation, usually a negative one.
  • His harsh criticism sowed the seeds of rebellion within the team.
• The seed is sown: The initial action has been taken, and consequences will follow.
  • With that speech, the seed was sown for a major political movement.

Học thuật

Noun

1. the thick white fluid containing spermatozoa that is ejaculated by the male genital tract
2. anything that provides inspiration for later work
3. one of the outstanding players in a tournament
4. a mature fertilized plant ovule consisting of an embryo and its food source and having a protective coat or testa
5. a small hard fruit

Verb

1. remove the seeds from
   • seed grapes
2. inoculate with microorganisms
3. sprinkle with silver iodide particles to disperse and cause rain
   • seed clouds
4. distribute (players or teams) so that outstanding teams or players will not meet in the early rounds
5. place (seeds) in or on the ground for future growth
   • She sowed sunflower seeds
6. bear seeds
7. help (an enterprise) in its early stages of development by providing seed money
8. go to seed; shed seeds
   • The dandelions went to seed

Từ đồng nghĩa

• semen
• seminal fluid
• ejaculate
• cum
• come
• source
• germ
• seeded player
• sow