seed

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n. pl. seeds, (esp. collectively)seed,

1) bot the fertilized, matured ovule of a flowering plant, containing an embryo or rudimentary plant

2) bot any propagative part of a plant, including tubers and bulbs

3) bot such parts collectively

4) bot any similar small part or fruit

5) sts Dial.

pit II

6) the germ or propagative source of anything:

the seeds of discord[/ex]

7) offspring; progeny

8) birth:

not of mortal seed[/ex]

9) phl sperm; semen

10) dvl the ovum or ova of certain animals, as the lobster and the silkworm moth

11) seed oyster

12) cer a small air bubble in a glass piece, caused by defective firing

13) cry Crystall., Chem. a small crystal added to a solution to promote crystallization

14) spo a player or team seeded in a tournament

15) agr. to sow (a field, lawn, etc.) with seed

16) agr. to sow or scatter (seed)

17) mer to sow or scatter (clouds) with crystals or particles of silver iodide, solid carbon dioxide, etc., to induce precipitation

18) to introduce in the hope of increase:

to seed a lake with trout[/ex]

19) to sprinkle on in the manner of seed

20) to remove the seeds from (fruit)

21) spo

a) to rank (players or teams) by past performance in arranging tournament pairings, so that the most highly ranked competitors will not play each other until later rounds

b) spo to arrange (pairings or a tournament) by means of such a ranking

22) bus to develop (a business), esp. by providing operating capital

23) agr. to sow seed

24) bot to produce or shed seed

25) bot producing seed; used for seed:

a seed potato[/ex]

•

- go or run to seed in seed

Etymology: bef. 900; (n.) ME sede, side, seed(e), OE sēd, sǣd, c. OFrissēd, OSsād, OHGsāt(G Saat), ON sāth, Go -seths; (v.) ME seden to produce seeds, der. of the n. seed′less, adj. seed′like`, adj.