sow one's wild oats



sow one's wild oats

Behave foolishly, immoderately or promiscuously when young, as in Brad has spent the last couple of years sowing his wild oats, but now he seems ready to settle down . This expression alludes to sowing inferior wild oats instead of good cultivated grain, the verb sowing-that is, "planting seed"-in particular suggesting sexual promiscuity. [Mid-1500s]
See also: oat, sow, wild

Common Names:

NameGenderPronouncedUsage
Connla-Irish Mythology
Avedis-Armenian
RafaËL-Dutch
ShannaSHAN-əEnglish
Shafaqat-Arabic
CianKEE-an, KEENIrish, Irish Mythology