- 1[transitive, intransitive] to plant or spread seeds in or on the ground sow (something) Sow the seeds in rows. Water well after sowing. Sow rows of lettuces between other vegetables. sow something with something The fields around had been sown with wheat. Topic CollocationsFarminggrowing food and raising animals
- plant trees/seeds/crops/vines/barley
- grow/produce corn/wheat/rice/fruit
- plow land/a field
- sow/harvest seeds/crops/fields
- spread manure/fertilizer on something
- cultivate/irrigate/water/contaminate crops/plants/fields/land
- damage/destroy/lose your crop
- ripen/pick fruit/berries/grapes
- press/dry/ferment grapes
- grind/thresh grain/corn/wheat
- raise/rear/keep chickens/poultry/cattle/pigs
- raise/breed/feed/graze livestock/cattle/sheep
- butcher/kill/slaughter livestock
- preserve/smoke/cure/salt meat
- run a fish farm/an organic dairy farm
- engage in/be involved in intensive (pig/fish) farming
- use/apply (chemical/organic) fertilizer/insecticides/pesticides
- begin/do/conduct field trials of GM (= genetically modified) crops
- grow/develop GM crops/seeds/plants/foods
- fund/invest in genetic engineering/research
- improve/increase crop yields
- face/suffer from/alleviate food shortages
- label food that contains GMOs (= genetically modified organisms)
- eliminate/reduce farm subsidies
- oppose/be against factory farming/GM food
- promote/encourage/support organic/sustainable farming
- 2[transitive] sow something (in something) to introduce or spread feelings or ideas, especially ones that cause trouble to sow doubt in someone's mind to sow confusion Idioms
sow1
verbNAmE//soʊ//
see sow2Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they sow he / she / it sows
past simple sowed
past participle sown
past participle sowed
-ing form sowing
to start the process that leads to a particular situation or result In this way he sowed the seeds of his own success.
(of young men) to go through a period of wild behavior while young, especially having a lot of romantic or sexual relationships He wants to leave home, sow his wild oats and learn about life.
you have to deal with the bad effects or results of something that you originally started
Check pronunciation: sow