seed
- 01 A2 Elementary
n.the small, hard part of a plant from which a new plant can grow.
n.the unit of reproduction of a flowering plant, capable of developing into another such plant.
Simple“He pushed a sunflower seed into the soil and watered it.”
In context“The farmer selected the highest quality seed to ensure a resilient crop that could withstand the predicted summer drought.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.the beginning of a feeling, an idea, or a process.
n.the initial stage or precursor of a developing process or abstract concept.
Simple“The conversation planted a seed of doubt in her mind about the plan.”
In context“The professor's lecture on renewable energy sowed the seeds of a lifelong passion for environmental activism in his students.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a player or team's rank in a competition, used to decide who plays whom.
n.the position or ranking assigned to a competitor in a tournament bracket to prevent top players from meeting in early rounds.
Simple“The top seed won the tennis match easily in just two sets.”
In context“Despite being the number one seed, the defending champion was eliminated in the first round by an unranked newcomer.”
- 04 B1 Intermediate
v.to put seeds into the ground so that they can grow.
v.to sow an area of land with seeds; to plant a crop.
Simple“The gardener spent the afternoon seeding the new lawn.”
In context“After the spring thaw, the workers began seeding the fields with wheat before the heavy rains arrived.”
- 05 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to give a player or team a rank in a tournament.
v.to arrange the position of players or teams in a tournament bracket according to their perceived skill level.
Simple“The tournament organisers decided to seed the players based on their world rankings.”
In context“By seeding the top four teams in separate brackets, the committee ensured a more competitive and profitable final weekend.”
- 06 C1 Advanced
v.to keep a file available on your computer so other people can download it.
v.to provide data for other users in a peer-to-peer network by keeping a completed file available for upload.
Simple“Please continue seeding the file after your download finishes so others can get it too.”
In context“The community relies on users who seed large files for weeks, maintaining the health of the network for everyone else.”
- 07 C1 Advanced
v.to drop chemicals into clouds to try and make it rain.
v.to drop substances such as silver iodide into clouds to encourage condensation and precipitation.
Simple“The government tried seeding the clouds to end the long drought.”
In context“Meteorologists debated the ethical implications of seeding clouds to divert rainfall away from the flooded coastal regions.”