plant the seeds

plant the seeds

1. To do something that ensures a certain outcome in the future, especially an unfortunate or tragic one. They've been planting the seeds of their own downfall with their anti-consumer practices over the last few years.
2. To cause someone to have certain thoughts or feelings, usually negative ones. The over-zealous policing of opposing opinions has planted the seeds of discontent among the population.
See also: plant, seed

plant the seeds of (something)

1. To do something that ensures a certain outcome in the future, especially an unfortunate or tragic one. They've been planting the seeds of their own downfall with their anti-consumer practices over the last few years.
2. To cause someone to have certain thoughts or feelings, usually negative ones. The over-zealous policing of opposing opinions has planted the seeds of discontent among the population.
See also: of, plant, seed
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • plant the seeds of (something)
  • plant/sow the seeds of something
  • sow the seed of
  • sow the seeds of (something)
  • sow the seeds of something
  • read the (hand)writing on the wall
  • read the handwriting on the wall
  • see the (hand)writing on the wall
  • see the writing on the wall
  • pull (something) out of the bag
References in periodicals archive
Why not save your seeds and next time you buy a takeaway coffee from Pugh's, keep the cup and plant the seeds in it?
Collect your free seeds at RHS Cardiff
Just stick a same-colored pick for each variety into the pellets or cells after you plant the seeds, tape or clip the same color pick to the seed envelope they came from, and store them away.
Labeling garden plants
You can then learn how to plant the seeds and look after them until they grow into trees for the garden.
Day of fun at Coombe Abbey
We decided to plant the seeds before the Easter holidays and had grand ideas about planting outside.
Top Class: Our allotment
Plant the seeds in spring in loose soil that has been deeply dug.
Parsnips, a sweet root
The event took place on Wednesday when the team of volunteers met up before heading off to plant the seeds in brilliant sunshine.
Solihull News: They're just wild about flowers; SOLIHULL
If your plants didn't reach maturity fast enough, plant the seeds earlier next year.
Planning and planting a fall vegetable garden
Our goal is to plant the seeds of a smarter community in the minds of young people.
Feed the roots: economic development is a family affair
Part of his stated rationale for invading Afghanistan and Iraq was to topple authoritarian regimes in both countries and plant the seeds of democracy.
Are Islam & democracy compatible? Democracy is taking hold in some parts of the Muslim world. But in others, especially the Middle East, the prospects are unclear
Without our help, Jenkins says, the fate of this cloud-clinging species depends on the nutcracker's ability to gather and plant the seeds, usually on recently burned sites, in clusters of anywhere from three to 15 kernels per excavation.
Stalwart species: tenacious and rugged, the fire-dependent whitebark pine endures where most other trees fail
At a two-hour forum held 12 January 2001 at the NIEHS campus in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, key players in the study of and fight against cyanobacteria species--which include Microcystis, Cylindrospermopsis, and Anabaena--had the chance to meet and plant the seeds for possible future collaborations in new cyanobacteria research.
A Wave of Momentum for Toxic Algae Study
He knows that a few well-spoken or ill-spoken words can plant the seeds for future success or set the stage for future failures.
Dealing With Defeat
"Management should plant the seeds by asking questions of your people." By asking employees if a problem can be solved in a new way, or how it can be permanently prevented, they begin to think differently about maintenance.
Panels cover plant planning, maintenance
The characteristics of each plot of ground will be added to a database in a computer that will use the information beamed from the satellites to determine how much fertilizer or pesticide to apply to that spot or how far apart to plant the seeds. "We will then go back to multiple applications of chemicals over the growing season, which will reduce the total volume of chemicals being applied.
New technology for 21st century
"In managing our resources and in sustainable development, we plant the seeds of peace."
Seeds of peace