What Does "Eat One's Seed Corn" Mean?
"Eat one's seed corn" is an English idiom. It means "to use up or consume resources that are essential for future growth or success."Examples in Sentences
Here are three examples of the idiom "eat one's seed corn" used in a sentence:- The company was so desperate for short-term profits that it ate its seed corn by cutting research and development.
- They're eating their seed corn by not investing in education.
- By using up all the reserves this year, we're essentially eating our seed corn.
What Is an Idiom?
An idiom is a commonly used expression whose meaning does not relate to the literal meaning of its words. In other words, if you were to translate "Eat One's Seed Corn" word for word, there is no guarantee the translation would help you to understand the meaning.An idiom often includes a cultural or historical context that makes it difficult for non-native English speakers to understand. A phrase is classified as an idiom when a direct translation of the words does not reveal the meaning. Most idioms rely on shared knowledge or experiences known only to a specific community.
A Quick Test
You now know what "eat one's seed corn" means, but are you good at English idioms? Let's see!Gold
Silver
Bronze
- This test has questions.
- A correct answer is worth 5 points.
- You can get up to 5 bonus points for a speedy answer.
- Some questions demand more than one answer. You must get every part right.
- Beware! Wrong answers score 0 points.
- 🏆 If you beat one of the top 3 scores, you will be invited to apply for the Hall of Fame.
Scoring System
Guru (+)
Hero (+)
Captain (+)
Sergeant (+)
Recruit (+)
Guru (+)
Hero (+)
Captain (+)
Sergeant (+)
Recruit (+)
- Do you disagree with something on this page?
- Did you spot a typo?