eat one's seed corn
To consume what is meant for investment instead.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“If you spend all your savings now, you are eating your seed corn.”
“The company sold its essential research equipment to pay for bonuses, effectively eating its seed corn for short-term gain.”
“By liquidating the firm's long-term assets to cover immediate operating losses, the board was essentially eating its seed corn, leaving the business with no future capacity for growth.”
- 01
abound in one's own sense
To follow one’s own inclinations and opinions.
- 02
ace up one's sleeve
A surprise advantage of which others are not aware.
- 03
acknowledge the corn
To admit to the truth of the point at issue or to a mistake; to cop a plea; or perhaps to admit to a small error but not a larger one.
- 04
act one's age
To behave in a manner appropriate to one's age.
- 05
act one's age, not one's shoe size
Synonym of act one's age (“to behave in a mature manner; to avoid being childish”).
- 06
afraid of one's own shadow
Exceptionally timid.
- 07
air one's dirty laundry in public
To reveal one's sordid secrets to the public.
- 08
air one's dirty linen in public
Synonym of air one's dirty laundry in public.
Last updated August 10, 2026