sow wild oats

English

Verb

sow wild oats (third-person singular simple present sows wild oats, present participle sowing wild oats, simple past sowed wild oats, past participle sown wild oats or sowed wild oats)

1. Alternative form of sow one's wild oats
   • 1840 April – 1841 November, Charles Dickens, “Chapter the Thirty-third”, in The Old Curiosity Shop. A Tale. […], volume I, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1841, →OCLC:

     ‘Mr Swiveller,’ said Quilp, ‘being pretty well accustomed to the agricultural pursuits of sowing wild oats, Miss Sally, prudently considers that half a loaf is better than no bread.

   • 1886, Louisa M[ay] Alcott, Jo's Boys […] ‎^[1], Boston: Roberts Brothers:

     ‘Hope so, I'm sure. He's just the fellow to do rash things and come to glory—climbing the Matterhorn, taking a “header” into Niagara, or finding a big nugget. That's his way of sowing wild oats, and perhaps it's better than ours,’ said Tom thoughtfully; for he had gained a good deal of experience in that sort of agriculture since he became a medical student.

   • 1913, D[avid] H[erbert] Lawrence, chapter XII, in Sons and Lovers, London: Duckworth & Co. […], →OCLC:

     Miriam pondered this. She saw what he was seeking—a sort of baptism of fire in passion, it seemed to her. She realised that he would never be satisfied till he had it. Perhaps it was essential to him, as to some men, to sow wild oats; and afterwards, when he was satisfied, he would not rage with restlessness any more, but could settle down and give her his life into her hands.

   • 1914, W. Grant Hague, The Eugenic Marriage‎^[2], volume 2:

     That many able men have sown wild oats is indisputable, and that many men who are respectful husbands, have also gone "through the mill" is also true, but this need not blind us to the fact that thousands upon thousands, who could have been successful men of affairs and creditable husbands and fathers, have been utterly ruined, as a result of having sown wild oats.

   • 1914, Jack London, “South of the Slot”, in The Strength of the Strong‎^[3], New York: MacMillan:

     As the time of his marriage approached, he felt that he had indeed sowed wild oats, and he felt, moreover, what a good thing it would be if he could have but one wild fling more, play the good fellow and the wastrel one last time, ere he settled down to grey lecture-rooms and sober matrimony.