Definition of "plant"

In plants, the ability to recognize self from nonself plays an important role in fertilization, because self-fertilization will result in less diverse offspring than fertilization with pollen from another individual. Many genes with reproductive roles also have antibacterial and immune functions, which indicate that the threat of microbial attack on the sperm or egg may be a major influence on rapid evolution during reproduction.

2013 May-June, Katrina G. Claw, “Rapid Evolution in Eggs and Sperm”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3, page 217

O’Sullivan risked a plant that went badly astray, splitting the reds.

2008 April 28, Phil Yates, The Times

Take, Shepherd, take a Plant of ſtubborn Oak; / And labour him with many a ſturdy ſtroke: / Or with hard Stones, demoliſh from afar / His haughty Creſt, the feat of all the War.

1694, “The Third Book of Virgil's Georgicks”, in John Dryden, transl., The Annual Miscellany, for the Year 1694, 2nd edition, London: Jacob Tonson, published 1708, page 185

Knotty legs, and plants of clay, / Seek for eaſe, or love delay.

1611, Ben Jonson, “Oberon, the Faery Prince”, in The Works of Ben Jonson, volume V, London: D. Midwinter et al., published 1756, page 384

It wasn’t a bad plant that of mine, on Fikey, the man accused of forging the Sou’ Westeru Railway debentures—it was only t’ other day—because the reason why? I’ll tell you.

1850 March 30, Charles Dickens, “A Detective Police Party”, in Household Words, volume 1, page 413

His father had given him a little square bed in a corner of the garden, which he had planted with corn two days before.

1848, Jacob Abbott, “Story I. Labour Lost.—Elky.”, in Rollo at Work: Or, The Way for a Boy to Learn to be Industrious‎, London: James S. Hodson, page 5

With your mouse, you plant a garden by selecting plants from a database of 450 of the most common flowers, shrubs, and trees.

1991 November 26, Don Trivette, “How Does Your Garden Grow? With Silver Bells And Mouse Button Clicks”, in PC Mag‎, volume 10, number 20, Ziff Davis, Inc., page 604

Not only that, I thought, but cynics would now theorise that the interview piece was a PR exercise, a planted story designed as damage-limitation in the event that some probing journalist revealed all about the love nest.

1999, Terry Prone, The Skywriter, page 182

First Anelka curled a shot wide from just outside the box, then Lampard planted a header over the bar from Bosingwa's cross.

2011 January 15, Sam Sheringham, “Chelsea 2 - 0 Blackburn Rovers”, in BBC‎

God moves in a myſterious way, / His wonders to perform; / He plants his footſteps in the ſea, / And rides upon the ſtorm.

1780, William Cowper, “Light Shining out of Darkneſs”, in Twenty-ſix Letters on Religious Subjects […] To which are added Hymns […] ‎, 4th edition, page 252

Sarah, she kissed each of her grandparents on the forehead. They were planted in a graveyard behind the church.

2007, Richard Laymon, Savage, page 118

It engenders choler, planteth anger.

c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act IV, scene i]

planting of countries like planting of woods

1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Plantations”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret

We will plant some other in the throne.

c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act III, scene vii]