Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - seed

~1 n plural seeds or seed 1 a) a small, hard object produced by plants, from which a new plant of the same kind grows  (sunflower seeds | plant/sow seeds (=put them into the ground))  (Plant the seeds in sandy soil, about 10 cm apart. | grow sth from seed (=grow a plant from a seed, rather than planting it when it is already partly grown)) b) a quantity of seeds  (grass seed) 2 AmE one of the small hard objects in a fruit such as an apple or orange, from which new fruit trees grow; pip1 (1) BrE 3 go/run to seed a) if a plant or vegetable goes or runs to seed, it starts producing flowers and seeds as well as leaves b) if a person goes or runs to seed, they become unattractive, fat, or unhealthy especially because of getting old or lazy 4 the seeds of sth something that makes a new situation start to grow and develop  (the seeds of victory | sow (the) seeds of doubt/destruction/rebellion etc (=do or say something which makes a bad feeling or situation develop and become a much more serious problem))  (Sectarian agitators did much to sow the seeds of discontent among the people.) 5 number one/number three etc seed a tennis player who is given a particular position according to how likely they are to win a competition  (He's been top seed for the past two years.) 6 biblical or humorous semen or sperm 7 biblical the group of people who have a particular person as their father, grandfather etc, especially when they form a particular race ~2 v 1 to remove seeds from fruit  (seeded raisins) 2 T usually passive to give a tennis player a particular position, according to how likely they are to win a competition  (seeded fourth at Wimbledon) 3 T often passive to plant seeds in the ground 4 to produce seeds