sow one's wild oats
The idiom "sow one's wild oats" originates from the idea of planting wild, troublesome seeds and is often associated with youthful experimentation and recklessness before adopting a more settled lifestyle.
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Definition
C1General
(informal)To engage in reckless or promiscuous activities, usually during one's youth, before settling down.
Example
- He spent his college years sowing his wild oats before becoming a responsible father.
- Many people sow their wild oats in their twenties, exploring different lifestyles and relationships.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "sow one's wild oats":
play the fieldwild oatsgo to seedroll in the haylet one's nuts hanggo wildshoot one's wadrun wildwild outblow one's wad