wild oats
The term "wild oats" can refer to both a type of grass and a metaphor for youthful indiscretions.
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Definition
B2Botany
(technical)A type of grass that grows without cultivation and is often considered a weed.
Example
- The field was overrun with wild oats, making it difficult for the farmer to grow his crops.
C1Social
(idiom, informal)A period in a young person's life marked by reckless or carefree behavior, often involving romantic or sexual adventures.
Example
- In his youth, he spent a few years sowing his wild oats before settling down and starting a family.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "wild oats":
oat grassblack oatwild mustardwild feedsow one's wild oatsowl's cloverwild olivesea oatswild ricewild cabbagewidow's weedsfat hen