oat (redirected from oaten)

feel one's oats

Fig. to be very lively. Careful with that horse. He's feeling his oats today. Mary was feeling her oats and decided to go out dancing.

See also: feel

sow one's wild oats

to do wild and foolish things in one's youth. (often assumed to have some sort of sexual meaning.) Jack was out sowing his wild oats last night, and he's in jail this morning. Mrs. smith told Mr. smith that he was too old to be sowing his wild oats.

See also: sow, wild

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get your oats  (British very informal)

to have sex regularly (usually in continuous tenses) Dan seems a lot happier these days - I think he must be getting his oats.

See also: get

sow your wild oats

if a young man sows his wild oats, he has a period of his life when he does a lot of exciting things and has a lot of sexual relationships He'd spent his twenties sowing his wild oats but felt that it was time to settle down.

See You reap what you sow

See also: sow, wild

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feel your oats

to have great confidence in your importance or ability Workers are feeling their oats and demanding higher wages.

See also: feel