wild oat
noun
any uncultivated species of Avena, especially a common weedy grass, A. fatua, resembling the cultivated oat.
a hardy plant, Uvularia sessilifolia, of the lily family, of eastern North America, having deep green, hairy leaves and greenish-yellow, tubular flowers.
Idioms for wild oat
sow one's wild oats,
to have a youthful fling at reckless and indiscreet behavior, especially to be promiscuous before marriage.
Origin of wild oat
First recorded in 1490–1500
Words nearby wild oat
wild madder,
wild man,
wild mandrake,
wild monkshood,
wild mustard,
wild oat,
wild oats,
wild olive,
wild orange,
wild pansy,
wild parsley
Example sentences from the Web for wild oat
The Itinerary may well have been the production of his muse during his London wild-oat days.
Literary Celebrities of the English Lake-District |Frederick SessionsIf one could have it now in the wild-oat season; but that isn't to be expected.
Norston's Rest |Ann S. StephensThose of you who live near wild-rice or wild-oat marshes have a good chance to become acquainted with this Rail.
Get your wild-oat sowing done as soon as possible and come back.
A Tatter of Scarlet |S. R. Crockett
British Dictionary definitions for wild oat
wild oat
noun
any of several temperate annual grasses of the genus Avena, esp A. fatua, that grow as weeds and have long bristles on their flower spikes