sow (redirected from sowed the seed)

sow the seeds of something

to do something that will cause an unpleasant situation in the future. He may be sowing the seeds of his own destruction by using violence against his people.

See also: seed

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 also: oat, wild

You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. (old-fashioned)

something that you say which means you cannot make a good quality product using bad quality materials. To make chairs that'll last you need good strong pieces of wood. You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

See also: can't, ear, purse

You reap what you sow. (formal)

something that you say which means everything that happens to you is a result of your own actions. If you treat your friends like that, of course they drop you. You reap what you sow in this life.

See also: reap

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reap what you sow

to experience the results of your own actions. If we neglect our environment, we will surely reap what we sow.

Usage notes: usually used to say that something bad is likely to result from an activity

Etymology: from the idea that the quality of the seeds that you sow (= put into the ground) grow into the kind of plants that you are able to reap (= cut and collect)

See also: reap

sow the seeds (of something)

to do something that will cause a particular result in the future. Religious conflict sowed the seeds of the government's downfall. Officials say they are planting the seeds for freedom and democracy.

See also: seed