sowing


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Related to sowing: sowing wild oats

sow 1

 (sō)
v. sowed, sown (sōn) or sowed, sow·ing, sows
v.tr.
1. To scatter (seed) over the ground for growing.
2. To scatter seed over (land, for example).
3. To strew something around or over (an area); distribute something over: "The yard was sown with cement sculpture" (Ashley Warlick).
4. To propagate; disseminate: sow rumors.
v.intr.
To scatter seed for growing.
Idiom:
sow (one's) oats/wild oats
To indulge in sexually promiscuous or dissolute behavior, especially as a young adult.
[Middle English sowen, from Old English sāwan; see sē- in Indo-European roots.]
sow′er n.

sow 2

 (sou)
n.
1.
a. An adult female pig, especially one that has had at least one litter.
b. The adult female of several other animals, such as the bear.
2.
a. A channel that conducts molten iron to the molds in a pig bed.
b. The mass of metal solidified in such a channel or mold.
[Middle English, from Old English sugu and Old English sū; see sū- in Indo-European roots.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

sowing

(ˈsəʊɪŋ)
n
1. (Agriculture)
a. the act of scattering seeds on land so that they may grow
b. (as modifier): the sowing season.
2. (Agriculture) (as modifier): the sowing season.
3. the act of spreading or introducing doubts, confusion, dissension, etc
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
Translations

sowing

[ˈsəʊɪŋ]
A. N → siembra f
B. CPD sowing machine N → sembradora f
sowing time N → época f de la siembra, sementera f
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

sowing

n (= action) → (Aus)säen nt, → Aussaat f; (= quantity sown) → Saat f; the sowing of a field → die Aussaat auf einem Feld
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

sowing

[ˈsəʊɪŋ] n → semina
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
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References in classic literature ?
But the peasants were carrying the oats in spaces when they might simply let the slide down into the lower granary; and arranging for this to be done, and taking two workmen from there for sowing clover, Levin got over his vexation with the bailiff.
He was not put out of temper even by the sight of the peasants' horses and colts trampling down his young grass (he told a peasant he met to drive them out), nor by the sarcastic and stupid reply of the peasant Ipat, whom he met on the way, and asked, "Well, Ipat, shall we soon be sowing?" "We must get the ploughing done first, Konstantin Dmitrievitch," answered Ipat.
Seeing the master, the laborer, Vassily, went towards the cart, while Mishka set to work sowing. This was not as it should be, but with the laborers Levin seldom lost his temper.
"What a sowing, Konstantin Dmitrievitch," he said, hesitating; "first rate.
He watched how Mishka strode along, swinging the huge clods of earth that clung to each foot; and getting off his horse, he took the sieve from Vassily and started sowing himself.
The ploughland was in splendid condition; in a couple of days it would be fit for harrowing and sowing. Everything was capital, everything was cheering.
"I've sent Vassily and Mishka; they're sowing. Only I don't know if they'll manage to get through; it's so slushy."
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Accordingly, I dug up a piece of ground as well as I could with my wooden spade, and dividing it into two parts, I sowed my grain; but as I was sowing, it casually occurred to my thoughts that I would not sow it all at first, because I did not know when was the proper time for it, so I sowed about two-thirds of the seed, leaving about a handful of each.
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For instance, to scatter seed is called sowing: but the action of the sun in scattering his rays is nameless.
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Perhaps, too, he does not like the extracts from gardening books I read to him sometimes when he is planting or sowing something new.
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He was as careful of the sowing and reaping of the peasants' hay and corn as of his own, and few landowners had their crops sown and harvested so early and so well, or got so good a return, as did Nicholas.
She could not understand why he was so particularly animated and happy when, after getting up at daybreak and spending the whole morning in the fields or on the threshing floor, he returned from the sowing or mowing or reaping to have tea with her.
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