seed
♦♦ seed /s'iːd/ (seeds seeding seeded)
1 [N-VAR]
A seed is the small, hard part of a plant from which a new plant grows.
I sow the seed in pots of soil-based compost.
...sunflower seeds.
2 [VERB] V n, V pron-refl, V-ed
If you seed a piece of land, you plant seeds in it.
Men mowed the wide lawns and seeded them...
The primroses should begin to seed themselves down the steep hillside.
...his newly seeded lawns.
3 [N-PLURAL] N of n
You can refer to the seeds of something when you want to talk about the beginning of a feeling or process that gradually develops and becomes stronger or more important. (LITERARY)
He raised questions meant to plant seeds of doubts in the minds of jurors...
4 [N-COUNT] usu supp N, oft ord/num N
In sports such as tennis or badminton, a seed is a player who has been ranked according to his or her ability.
...Pete Sampras, Wimbledon's top seed and the world No.1...
5 [VERB] usu passive, be V-ed adv/prep, V-ed ord, V-ed
When a player or a team is seeded in a sports competition, they are ranked according to their ability.
In the UEFA Cup the top 16 sides are seeded for the first round...
He is seeded second, behind Brad Beven...
The top four seeded nations are through to the semi-finals.
6 [PHRASE] V inflects
If vegetable plants go to seed or run to seed, they produce flowers and seeds as well as leaves.
If unused, winter radishes run to seed in spring.
7 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you say that someone or something has gone to seed or has run to seed, you mean that they have become much less attractive, healthy, or efficient.
He was a big man in his forties; once he had a lot of muscle but now he was running to seed.seed capi|tal
[N-UNCOUNT]
Seed capital is an amount of money that a new company needs to pay for the costs of producing a business plan so that they can raise further capital to develop the company. (BUSINESS)
I am negotiating with financiers to raise seed capital for my latest venture.seed corn
[N-UNCOUNT]
Seed corn is money that businesses spend at the beginning of a project in the hope that it will eventually produce profits. (mainly BRIT BUSINESS)
The scheme offers seed corn finance with loans at only 4% interest.seed mon|ey
[N-UNCOUNT]
Seed money is money that is given to someone to help them start a new business or project. (BUSINESS)
1 [N-VAR]
A seed is the small, hard part of a plant from which a new plant grows.
I sow the seed in pots of soil-based compost.
...sunflower seeds.
2 [VERB] V n, V pron-refl, V-ed
If you seed a piece of land, you plant seeds in it.
Men mowed the wide lawns and seeded them...
The primroses should begin to seed themselves down the steep hillside.
...his newly seeded lawns.
3 [N-PLURAL] N of n
You can refer to the seeds of something when you want to talk about the beginning of a feeling or process that gradually develops and becomes stronger or more important. (LITERARY)
He raised questions meant to plant seeds of doubts in the minds of jurors...
4 [N-COUNT] usu supp N, oft ord/num N
In sports such as tennis or badminton, a seed is a player who has been ranked according to his or her ability.
...Pete Sampras, Wimbledon's top seed and the world No.1...
5 [VERB] usu passive, be V-ed adv/prep, V-ed ord, V-ed
When a player or a team is seeded in a sports competition, they are ranked according to their ability.
In the UEFA Cup the top 16 sides are seeded for the first round...
He is seeded second, behind Brad Beven...
The top four seeded nations are through to the semi-finals.
6 [PHRASE] V inflects
If vegetable plants go to seed or run to seed, they produce flowers and seeds as well as leaves.
If unused, winter radishes run to seed in spring.
7 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you say that someone or something has gone to seed or has run to seed, you mean that they have become much less attractive, healthy, or efficient.
He was a big man in his forties; once he had a lot of muscle but now he was running to seed.seed capi|tal
[N-UNCOUNT]
Seed capital is an amount of money that a new company needs to pay for the costs of producing a business plan so that they can raise further capital to develop the company. (BUSINESS)
I am negotiating with financiers to raise seed capital for my latest venture.seed corn
[N-UNCOUNT]
Seed corn is money that businesses spend at the beginning of a project in the hope that it will eventually produce profits. (mainly BRIT BUSINESS)
The scheme offers seed corn finance with loans at only 4% interest.seed mon|ey
[N-UNCOUNT]
Seed money is money that is given to someone to help them start a new business or project. (BUSINESS)