Talk:sow one's wild oats

Does this really apply only to males? I thought the meaning has been expanded to both gender's promiscuity. --Connel MacKenzie 17:55, 4 Jan 2005 (UTC)

The (ahem) broad sense looks generic (e.g., "sow her wild oats" gets 341 google hits, the first few of which, at least, look good), but the narrow sense is clearly male-only. For comparison, "sow his wild oats" gets 2200 hits. -dmh 19:21, 4 Jan 2005 (UTC)

Fixed, more or less. We're still missing out the somewhat subtle connotation that one sowing one's wild oats is expected to settle down later. It's a phase you generally get out of your way when you're young or perhaps after a breakup, but it's not a long-term lifestyle (or if it is, it stops going by that name at some point) -dmh 19:26, 4 Jan 2005 (UTC)

Thanks - much better. After reading your explanation here, I get why you had the mention of Divorce. How about "(connotes a passing phase)" instead? --Connel MacKenzie 19:46, 4 Jan 2005 (UTC)

Citaytion

http://books.google.com/books?id=vHcXAAAAYAAJ is an entire book about a boy who acts irresponsibly (not sexually).