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noun
Idioms1.
a cereal grass, Avena sativa, cultivated for its edible seed.
2.
Usually, oats. (used with a singular or plural verb) the seed of this plant, used as a food for humans and animals.
3.
any of several plants of the same genus, as the wild oat.
4.
Archaic. a musical pipe made of an oat straw.
5.
feel one's oats, Informal.
a.
to feel frisky or lively.
b.
to be aware of and use one's importance or power.
6.
sow one's wild oats. wild oat (def. 3).
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Oats
is always a great word to know.
So is ninnyhammer. Does it mean:
| a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc. |
| a fool or simpleton; ninny. |
Origin:
before 900; Middle English ote, Old English āte
before 900; Middle English ote, Old English āte
Related forms
oat·like, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Link To oats
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
oat
O.E. ate "grain of the oat plant" (pl. atan), possibly from O.N. eitill "nodule," denoting a single grain, of unknown origin. The usual Gmc. name is derived from P.Gmc. *khabran (cf. O.N. hafri, Du. haver, source of haversack). Famously defined by Johnson as, "A grain, which in England is generally given
EXPANDto horses, but in Scotland supports the people." Wild oats, "crop that one will regret sowing," is first attested 1564, in ref. to the folly of sowing these instead of good grain.
COLLAPSE
"That wilfull and vnruly age, which lacketh rypenes and discretion, and (as wee saye) hath not sowed all theyr wyeld Oates." [Thomas Newton, "Lemnie's Touchstone of complexions," 1576]Hence, to feel (one's) oats "be lively," 1831, originally Amer.Eng.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Idioms & Phrases
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