feel one's oats



feel one's oats

1. Feel frisky or animated, as in School was out, and they were feeling their oats. This usage alludes to the behavior of a horse after having been fed. [Early 1800s]
2. Display self-importance, as in He was feeling his oats, bossing everyone around. [Mid-1800s]
See also: feel, oat

Common Names:

NameGenderPronouncedUsage
Iair-Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Ruzha-Bulgarian, Macedonian
PatrÍCiopə-TREE-syooPortuguese
Aeron (1)-Welsh
Ximo-Catalan, Spanish
Hiba-Arabic