sow the seeds of
To carry out a certain action which will eventually bring about a particular result.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Your hard work today sows the seeds of future success.”
“By teaching the children to love reading, the teacher sowed the seeds of a lifelong passion for learning.”
“The government's decision to ignore the economic crisis sowed the seeds of the widespread social unrest that followed years later.”
- 01
eat one's seed corn
To consume what is meant for investment instead.
- 02
plant a seed
To do something that will produce results or change in the future.
- 03
reap what one sows
To receive as a return or reward in the same measure as one's exertions or intentions, in a good or a bad sense; to receive justice or one's just deserts.
- 04
sow dragon's teeth
To perform an action that inadvertently leads to trouble.
- 05
sow one's wild oats
To spread one's genes around by impregnating many females.
- 06
spill one's seed
To ejaculate.
Last updated August 10, 2026