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seed
seed
The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English
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2009
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© The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English 2009, originally published by Oxford University Press 2009. (Hide copyright information)
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seed
/ sēd/
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n.
1.
a flowering plant's unit of reproduction, capable of developing into another such plant.
∎
a quantity of these:
grass seed
you can grow artichokes from seed.
∎ fig.
the cause or latent beginning of a feeling, process, or condition:
the conversation sowed a tiny seed of doubt in his mind.
∎ archaic
(chiefly in biblical use) a person's offspring or descendants.
∎
a man's semen.
∎
(also seed crystal)
a small crystal introduced into a liquid to act as a nucleus for crystallization.
∎
a small container for radioactive material placed in body tissue during radiotherapy.
2.
any of a number of stronger competitors in a sports tournament who have been assigned a specified position in an ordered list with the aim of ensuring that they do not play each other in the early rounds:
he knocked the top seed out of the championships.
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v.
1.
[tr.]
sow (land) with seeds:
the shoreline is seeded with a special grass.
∎
sow (a particular kind of seed) on or in the ground.
∎ fig.
cause (something) to begin to develop or grow:
severance payouts that help seed their new businesses.
∎
place a crystal or crystalline substance in (something) in order to cause crystallization or condensation (esp. in a cloud to produce rain).
2.
[intr.]
(of a plant) produce or drop seeds:
mulches encourage many plants to seed freely.
∎ (seed itself)
(of a plant) reproduce itself by means of its own seeds:
feverfew will seed itself readily.
3. [tr.]
remove the seeds from (vegetables or fruit):
stem and seed the chilies.
4.
[tr.]
give (a competitor) the status of seed in a tournament:
Jeff Tarango, seeded five, was defeated by fellow American Todd Witsken.
PHRASES:
go
(or run) to seed
(of a plant) cease flowering as the seeds develop.
∎
deteriorate in condition, strength, or efficiency:
Mark knows he has allowed himself to go to seed.
Cite this article
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Seeds of dreams. (seed catalogs)(includes directory of sources)
Magazine article from: Sunset; 1/1/1994; ; 700+ words
; ...the greater Southwest, and Abundant Life Seed Foundation sells seeds for food plants and flowers that are adapted...through catalogs such as Johnny's Selected Seeds and Territorial Seed Company. BEYOND SEEDS Besides seeds, catalog pages brim with...
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Seeds of profit: the business of pedigree grain seeds. (Farmers Co-op Seed Plant Ltd.)
Magazine article from: Manitoba Business; 11/1/1994; 700+ words
; ...growing, cleaning and treating seeds for private seed suppliers. "Many seed companies don't have the facilities to condition seeds from the field, so we do it...Manitoba Pool Elevtors and Pride Seeds seed production, processing and...
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Seeds of change: saving farm and garden seeds preserves genetic diversity, helps the economics of family farms and protects our food supply. But that right is being threatened.
Magazine article from: Natural Life; 1/1/2005; ; 700+ words
; ...act of planting a seed has become politicized...farmers have saved seeds from one year's...open-pollinated seeds (as opposed to the...varieties found in most seed catalogs) will produce...to freely use their seeds. Currently, those who retain "common" seed from their harvest...
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Seed mass, seedling emergence, and environmental factors in seven rain forest Psychotoria (Rubiaceae).
Magazine article from: Ecology; 7/1/1999; ; 700+ words
; ...cycle. In plants, seed mass can influence...distance to which seeds disperse, the likelihood...preferred over smaller seeds as oviposition sites...indirect effects of seed mass on seed coat...For example, seed coat permeability...the proportion of seeds that germinate and...
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Seeds Handbook: Biology, Production, Processing and Storage (second edition).(Book Review)
Magazine article from: Crop Science; 7/1/2005; ; 700+ words
; ...viability. The "Seed Production" section...methods for producing seeds for over 80 major...is entitled "Newer Seed Biotechnologies...chapter ("Synthetic Seeds") from the first...Reduction Biotechnology of Seeds" provides one of...address the magnitude of seed-crop losses that...
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Seeds are a healthy and fun alternative for baseball players.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
Newspaper article from: Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service; 5/15/2004; ; 700+ words
; ...of mostly sunflower seed shells. "It takes...all the sunflower seeds into a pile and shovel...jumbo (because every seed isn't equal) and...flavored sunflower seeds with a mouthful of...teeth and pushes the seed out with his tongue...Liersemann, who has eaten seeds for 13 years. ...
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 "Portland Press Herald (Maine)")
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Seeds have deep roots in the past
Newspaper article from: Portland Press Herald (Maine); 10/9/2005; ; 700+ words
; ...through a catalog. Most of the seeds are vegetables, but there are a few flowers. The students collect seeds from other seed- saving groups around the country...of the plants themselves and give seeds to people who grow the plants for...
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Seeds.
Magazine article from: Science Weekly; 11/30/2001; 700+ words
; ...e LEED en). Bean seeds have 2 cotyledons. The whole seed is protected by a...you grow some bean seeds? Will the seed's position make...sure it's not a seed! Remember: Wheat flour comes from seeds. DID YOU KNOW...
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 "Akron Beacon Journal (Akron, OH)")
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Seeds are a healthy and fun alternative for baseball players.
Newspaper article from: Akron Beacon Journal (Akron, OH); 5/15/2004; 700+ words
; ...of mostly sunflower seed shells. "It takes...all the sunflower seeds into a pile and shovel...jumbo (because every seed isn't equal) and...flavored sunflower seeds with a mouthful of...teeth and pushes the seed out with his tongue...Liersemann, who has eaten seeds for 13 years. ...
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Seeds Bring in the Harvest.
Magazine article from: Farm Journal; 11/2/2004; ; 700+ words
; ...S. corn and soybean seed sales. Syngenta Seeds president John Sorenson...sell Monsanto traits in seeds that were in production. Long term, Syngenta Seeds' business plan proposes...line of traits to other seed companies as its trait...
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Seeds, Storage of
Encyclopedia entry from: Encyclopedia of Food and Culture
...The conditions under which seeds were produced can also affect seed longevity. Temperature...influence seed viability, as does seed maturity when harvested. Mature seeds remain viable longer than immature seeds. Seed vigor usually decreases with...
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Seeds
Book article from: Plant Sciences
Seeds The seed is the dispersal stage of the life cycle...novel approach of genetic engineering. Seed Structure A seed is a combination of maternal tissues...in angiosperms) endosperm tissue. Seeds of different species are variable in...
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Cnidium Seeds
Encyclopedia entry from: Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
Cnidium seeds Description A variety of carrot unknown...conditions persists to this day. Only the seeds and essential oil of Cnidium monnieri...Apiaceae family, are used as a drug. The seeds, which are also referred as she chuang...
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Seed
Encyclopedia entry from: UXL Encyclopedia of Science
...they produce flowers in which seeds are produced and in which they develop. Seed production Seeds are produced when pollen is...The beginning of growth of a seed. Gymnosperm: A plant that produces naked seeds. Pistil: The female reproductive...
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Seed Money
Encyclopedia entry from: Encyclopedia of Small Business
Seed Money Seed money, or seed capital, is the first round of capital for a start-up business. It gets its name from the idea that early stage financing plants the seed that enables a small business to grow. Obtaining funding is one of the...
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