> as lemmas

1625 F. Bacon Ess. (new ed.) 230 A Mans Nature runnes either to Herbes, or Weeds.

1740 H. Fielding in Champion 15 Mar. For Virtue itself by growing too exuberant, and (if I may be allowed the Metaphor) by running to Seed changes its very Nature, and becomes a most pernicious Weed of a most beautiful Flower.

a1822 P. B. Shelley Peter Bell III vi, in Poet. Wks. (?1840) 244/1 Now Peter ran to seed in soul Into a walking paradox.

1832 Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. 32 506 A race notoriously said like cucumbers to run more to belly than head.

1861 N.Y. Herald 23 Nov. 4/5 Can such a country be..permitted to run to seed?

1924 A. Huxley Little Mexican 249 He pictured a large, blonde, barmaidish personage, thirty-one and not yet married, running a bit to seed.

1953 J. Wain Hurry on Down iv. 66 He was plump, but not yet running to seed; aged about forty-five to fifty.

1976 National Observer (U.S.) 27 Nov. ii. 2/3 Today there is a striking resemblance among many of the 1,000 or so residents, and most of the youngsters run to tow~head.

2006 Age (Melbourne) (Nexis) 2 June 18 I thought it was a down-at-heel body builder, one who'd neglected to keep up with his medication and was starting to run to seed!