wild oats

British  

plural noun

1. slang the indiscretions of youth, esp dissoluteness before settling down (esp in the phrase sow one's wild oats )

---

wild oats Idioms  

1. see sow one's wild oats.

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

wild oats

In the bad, late-'90s cable version of this story, Minda's sowing her wild oats but eventually realizes he's the one, and then they get married and have babies and whatever.

From Salon ● Oct. 1, 2023

In Season 2, Gwen has attempted to sow her wild oats as a D.J. in Bali, and she returns home with a fresh, if not always welcome, perspective.

From New York Times ● Aug. 4, 2022

Miles of rolling fields blanketed in faded wild oats and yellow starthistle line the gently curving roads into this isolated enclave an hour’s drive south of Redding.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2022

Still, where there is discord, let Boris sow his wild oats.

From The Guardian ● Dec. 13, 2019

Halfway up the hill they could see Nellie and the iron-gray gelding, Pete, nibbling the heads from the wild oats.

From "The Red Pony" by John Steinbeck