oats
- 01 B1 Intermediate
the seeds of a cereal plant used to make porridge, granola, or flour.
the edible seeds of the oat plant, typically rolled or ground for use in human food or animal feed.
Simple“I usually have a bowl of oats with milk and fruit for breakfast.”
In context“The baker substituted a portion of the wheat flour with ground oats to give the bread a denser texture and a nuttier flavour.”
UsageUsually plural when referring to the food product; the singular 'oat' is rare except as a modifier.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
the tall grass-like plant that produces these seeds.
the cereal grass (Avena sativa) cultivated for its grain.
Simple“The farmer planted oats in the north field this spring.”
In context“The research team studied how different varieties of oats responded to the unusually dry conditions in the highland regions.”
Synonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
a slang way to talk about having sex, usually in the phrase 'sow one's wild oats'.
a slang reference to sexual gratification or activity, most commonly encountered in the idiom 'to sow one's wild oats'.
Simple“He spent his twenties traveling and sowing his wild oats before settling down.”
In context“The biography suggests that the poet spent his youth sowing his wild oats across Europe before returning to a more conventional life in London.”
Teacher's tipAlmost exclusively used within the idiom 'sow one's wild oats', which refers to a young person having many casual sexual relationships before getting married.
Synonymssexual intercourse