oat

oat
oat (n.) O.E. ate (pl. atan) "grain of the oat plant, wild oats," of uncertain origin, possibly from O.N. eitill "nodule," denoting a single grain, of unknown origin. The English word has cognates in Frisian and some Dutch dialects. The usual Germanic name is derived from P.Gmc. *khabran (Cf. O.N. hafri, Du. haver, source of HAVERSACK (Cf. haversack)). Famously defined by Johnson as, "A grain, which in England is generally given to horses, but in Scotland supports the people." Wild oats, "crop that one will regret sowing," is first attested 1560s, in reference to the folly of sowing these instead of good grain.
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 American English.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Oat — ([=o]t), n.; pl. {Oats} ([=o]ts). [OE. ote, ate, AS. [=a]ta, akin to Fries. oat. Of uncertain origin.] 1. (Bot.) A well known cereal grass ({Avena sativa}), and its edible grain, used as food and fodder; commonly used in the plural and in a… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • oat — oat·en; oat·er; oat; …   English syllables

  • oat|en — «OH tuhn», adjective. 1. made of oats or oatmeal: »an oaten cake. 2. made of oat straw: »his oaten pype (Edmund Spenser). 3. of or having to do with the oat: »oaten straws (Shakespeare) …   Useful english dictionary

  • oat — [əut US out] adj [only before noun] made of ↑oats ▪ oat biscuits …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • oat — [ōt] n. [ME ote < OE ate: not found in other Gmc languages: prob. < IE base * oid , to swell > Russ jádrica, groats] 1. [usually pl.] a) a hardy, widely grown cereal grass (Avena sativa) b) the edible grain of this grass 2. any of… …   English World dictionary

  • OAT — (für Occluded Artery Trial) ist das Akronym einer im November 2006 auf dem jährlichen Kongress der American Heart Association vorgestellten und im The New England Journal of Medicine publizierten Studie über den Nutzen einer… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • oat — ► NOUN ▪ a cereal plant with a loose branched cluster of florets, cultivated in cool climates. ● feel one s oats Cf. ↑feel one s oats ● get one s oats Cf. ↑get one s oats ● sow one s wild oats Cf. ↑ …   English terms dictionary

  • oat|er — «OH tuhr», noun. U.S. Slang. a motion picture or television show about the United States West; western …   Useful english dictionary

  • Oat — This article is about the common cereal. For other uses, see Oat (disambiguation). Oats redirects here. It may mean either the common cereal oat discussed here, or any cultivated or wild species of the genus Avena. Oat Oat plants with in …   Wikipedia

  • Oat — Obligation assimilable du Trésor Les obligations assimilables du trésor français sont généralement connues sous leur sigle : OAT. Il s agit de valeurs mobilières, principal support de la dette négociable de l État. Ce sont des emprunts que… …   Wikipédia en Français

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