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Seed vs Sow - What's the difference?

seed | sow |

In transitive terms the difference between seed and sow

is that seed is to start; to provide, assign or determine the initial resources for, position of, state of while sow is to scatter, disperse, or plant (seeds).

seed

English

Noun

(wikipedia seed)
  • (senseid)(countable) A fertilized grain, initially encased in a fruit, which may grow into a mature plant.
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=May-June, author= David Van Tassel], [http://www.americanscientist.org/authors/detail/lee-dehaan Lee DeHaan
    • , title= Wild Plants to the Rescue , volume=101, issue=3, magazine=(American Scientist) , passage=Plant breeding is always a numbers game.
  • (countable, botany) A fertilized ovule, containing an embryonic plant.
  • (uncountable) An amount of fertilized grain that cannot be readily counted.
  • (uncountable) Semen.
  • (countable) A precursor.
  • (countable) The initial state, condition or position of a changing, growing or developing process; the ultimate precursor in a defined chain of precursors.
  • # The initial position of a competitor or team in a tournament. (seed position)
  • The team with the best regular season record receives the top seed in the conference tournament.
  • # The competitor or team occupying a given seed. (seed position)
  • The rookie was a surprising top seed .
  • # Initialization state of a . (seed number)
  • If you use the same seed you will get exactly the same pattern of numbers.
  • # Commercial message in a creative format placed on relevant sites on the Internet. (seed idea or seed message)
  • The latest seed has attracted a lot of users in our online community.
  • Offspring, descendants, progeny.
    • the seed of Abraham
  • * 1590 , , II.x:
    • Next him king Leyr in happie peace long raind, / But had no issue male him to succeed, / But three faire daughters, which were well vptraind, / In all that seemed fit for kingly seed
  • Race; generation; birth.
  • * Waller
    • Of mortal seed they were not held.

    Usage notes

    The common use of seed differs from the botanical use. The “seeds” of sunflowers are botanically fruits.

    Derived terms

    * crack seed * go to seed * seedcake * seedling * seed potato * seedy * spill one's seed

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To plant or sow an area with seeds.
    • I seeded my lawn with bluegrass.
  • To cover thinly with something scattered; to ornament with seedlike decorations.
  • * Ben Jonson
    • a sable mantle seeded with waking eyes
  • To start; to provide, assign or determine the initial resources for, position of, state of.
    • A venture capitalist seeds young companies.
    The tournament coordinator will seed the starting lineup with the best competitors from the qualifying round.
    The programmer seeded fresh, uncorrupted data into the database before running unit tests.
  • (sports, games) To allocate a seeding to a competitor.
  • To be able to compete (especially in a quarter-final/semi-final/final).
    • The tennis player seeded into the quarters.
  • To ejaculate inside the penetratee during intercourse, especially in the rectum.

    • Anagrams

    *

    sow

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) sowe, from (etyl) sugu, from (etyl) (ae)). See also swine .

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • A female pig.
  • A channel that conducts molten metal to molds.
  • A mass of metal solidified in a mold.
  • * 1957 , H.R. Schubert, History of the British Iron and Steel Industry , p. 160:
    • In England, it was generally termed a 'sow' , if the weight was above 10 cwts., if below, it was termed a 'pig' from which the present term 'pig iron' is derived.
  • (derogatory, slang) A contemptible, often fat woman.
  • A sowbug.
  • (military) A kind of covered shed, formerly used by besiegers in filling up and passing the ditch of a besieged place, sapping and mining the wall, etc.
    • (Craig)
    Usage notes
    The plural form swine is now obsolete in this sense.
    Synonyms
    * (mass of metal solidified in a mold) ingot * (contemptible woman) bitch, cow
    Derived terms
    * make a silk purse of a sow's ear

    See also

    * boar * hog * pig

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) sowen, from (etyl) .

    Verb

  • To scatter, disperse, or plant (seeds).
    • When I had sown the field, the day's work was over.
    As you sow , so shall you reap.
  • (figurative) To spread abroad; to propagate.
  • * Addison
    • And sow dissension in the hearts of brothers.
  • (figurative) To scatter over; to besprinkle.
  • * Sir M. Hale
    • The intellectual faculty is a goodly field, and it is the worst husbandry in the world to sow it with trifles.
  • * Milton
    • [He] sowed with stars the heaven.
    Synonyms
    * plant, scatter
    Derived terms
    * reap what one sows *

    Anagrams

    * English heteronyms English irregular verbs English terms with multiple etymologies