Seed corn

Seed corn
Seed Seed (s[=e]d), n.; pl. {Seed} or {Seeds}. [OE. seed, sed, AS. s[=ae]d, fr. s[=a]wan to sow; akin to D. zaad seed, G. saat, Icel. s[=a][eth], s[ae][eth]i, Goth. manas[=e][thorn]s seed of men, world. See {Sow} to scatter seed, and cf. {Colza}.] 1. (Bot.) (a) A ripened ovule, consisting of an embryo with one or more integuments, or coverings; as, an apple seed; a currant seed. By germination it produces a new plant. (b) Any small seedlike fruit, though it may consist of a pericarp, or even a calyx, as well as the seed proper; as, parsnip seed; thistle seed. [1913 Webster]

And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself. --Gen. i. 11. [1913 Webster]

Note: The seed proper has an outer and an inner coat, and within these the kernel or nucleus. The kernel is either the embryo alone, or the embryo inclosed in the albumen, which is the material for the nourishment of the developing embryo. The scar on a seed, left where the stem parted from it, is called the hilum, and the closed orifice of the ovule, the micropyle. [1913 Webster]

2. (Physiol.) The generative fluid of the male; semen; sperm; -- not used in the plural. [1913 Webster]

3. That from which anything springs; first principle; original; source; as, the seeds of virtue or vice. [1913 Webster]

4. The principle of production. [1913 Webster]

Praise of great acts he scatters as a seed, Which may the like in coming ages breed. --Waller. [1913 Webster]

5. Progeny; offspring; children; descendants; as, the seed of Abraham; the seed of David. [1913 Webster]

Note: In this sense the word is applied to one person, or to any number collectively, and admits of the plural form, though rarely used in the plural. [1913 Webster]

6. Race; generation; birth. [1913 Webster]

Of mortal seed they were not held. --Waller. [1913 Webster]

{Seed bag} (Artesian well), a packing to prevent percolation of water down the bore hole. It consists of a bag encircling the tubing and filled with flax seed, which swells when wet and fills the space between the tubing and the sides of the hole.

{Seed bud} (Bot.), the germ or rudiment of the plant in the embryo state; the ovule.

{Seed coat} (Bot.), the covering of a seed.

{Seed corn}, or {Seed grain} (Bot.), corn or grain for seed.

{To eat the seed corn}, To eat the corn which should be saved for seed, so as to forestall starvation; -- a desparate measure, since it only postpones disaster. Hence: any desparate action which creates a disastrous situation in the long-term, done in order to provide temporary relief.

{Seed down} (Bot.), the soft hairs on certain seeds, as cotton seed.

{Seed drill}. See 6th {Drill}, 2 (a) .

{Seed eater} (Zo["o]l.), any finch of the genera {Sporophila}, and {Crithagra}. They feed mainly on seeds.

{Seed gall} (Zo["o]l.), any gall which resembles a seed, formed on the leaves of various plants, usually by some species of Phylloxera.

{Seed leaf} (Bot.), a cotyledon.

{Seed lobe} (Bot.), a cotyledon; a seed leaf.

{Seed oil}, oil expressed from the seeds of plants.

{Seed oyster}, a young oyster, especially when of a size suitable for transplantation to a new locality.

{Seed pearl}, a small pearl of little value.

{Seed plat}, or {Seed plot}, the ground on which seeds are sown, to produce plants for transplanting; a nursery.

{Seed stalk} (Bot.), the stalk of an ovule or seed; a funicle.

{Seed tick} (Zo["o]l.), one of several species of ticks resembling seeds in form and color.

{Seed vessel} (Bot.), that part of a plant which contains the seeds; a pericarp.

{Seed weevil} (Zo["o]l.), any one of numerous small weevils, especially those of the genus {Apion}, which live in the seeds of various plants.

{Seed wool}, cotton wool not yet cleansed of its seeds. [Southern U.S.] [1913 Webster +PJC]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • seed corn — UK US (also seedcorn, seed corn) noun [U or S] ► something or someone that is important as the starting point for future development: seed corn for/of sth »These small operations are the seed corn of what STP hopes will become large enterprises.… …   Financial and business terms

  • seed|corn — seed corn, or seed|corn «SEED KRN», noun. corn grown or saved for use as seed …   Useful english dictionary

  • seed corn — n [U] 1.) BrE people or things that will develop to become useful or successful in the future ▪ These young people are the seed corn management of the future. 2.) grain that is used for planting next year s crops …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • seed corn — n. corn set aside for planting a new crop …   English World dictionary

  • seed corn — noun good quality seeds (as kernels of corn) that are reserved for planting • Syn: ↑seed grain • Hypernyms: ↑seed stock * * * ears or kernels of corn set apart as seed. [1585 95] * * * seed corn noun 1. Grain for sowing …   Useful english dictionary

  • seed corn — N UNCOUNT Seed corn is money that businesses spend at the beginning of a project in the hope that it will eventually produce profits. [mainly BRIT] The scheme offers seed corn finance with loans of up to ₤10,000 at only 4% interest …   English dictionary

  • seed-corn — sėkla statusas T sritis ekologija ir aplinkotyra apibrėžtis Gaubtasėklių ir plikasėklių augalų dauginimosi ir plitimo organas. atitikmenys: angl. seed; seed corn; semen; sperm vok. Saat, f; Saatgut, n; Saatkorn, n; Samen, m rus. семя, n …   Ekologijos terminų aiškinamasis žodynas

  • seed-corn — sėkla statusas T sritis ekologija ir aplinkotyra apibrėžtis Gyvūnų dauginimosi vyriškosios lytinės ląstelės. atitikmenys: angl. seed; seed corn; semen; sperm vok. Saat, f; Saatgut, n; Saatkorn, n; Samen, m rus. семя, n …   Ekologijos terminų aiškinamasis žodynas

  • seed-corn — sėkla statusas T sritis ekologija ir aplinkotyra apibrėžtis Sėjamoji medžiaga – pupinių (ankštinių) javų, kryžmažiedžių augalų, linų sėklos, išaugusios iš sėklapradžio, pliki ir su lukštais vaisiai (pvz., miglinių javų grūdai, saulėgrąžos,… …   Ekologijos terminų aiškinamasis žodynas

  • seed corn — ears or kernels of corn set apart as seed. [1585 95] * * * …   Universalium

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”