feed something on something Definition

feed¹
verb fed, feeding

1. To give or supply food to (animals, etc).

Thesaurus: provide for, nourish, sustain, supply, cater for.
2. To give something as food (to animals, etc).

Example: fed biscuits to his dog
3. To administer food (to an infant, young animal).

Example: to feed the baby
4. To administer food to someone in a specified way.

Example: breast-feed
Example: bottle-feed
Example: force-feed
intr
5. Said of animals: to eat food.

Example: Sheep feed all day
Thesaurus: eat, graze.
6. To supply a machine, etc with fuel or other material required for continued operation or processing.
7. theat.
To provide (an actor, especially a comedian) with material or a cue to achieve an effect, often a comic effect.
8. sport.
To pass the ball to (a team-mate).

noun

1. An act or session of feeding.
2. An allowance of food for animals, eg cattle or babies.
3. Food for livestock, etc.

Thesaurus: fodder, forage, provender, pasturage, roughage.
4. colloq
A meal, especially a hearty one.
Example: a good feed
5. The channel or mechanism by which a machine is supplied with fuel, etc.
6. The material supplied progressively for any operation.
7. The rate of supply of material to a machine; the rate of progress of a tool.
8. theat.
An actor who feeds or cues another one; a stooge.

Derivative: feedable
adj

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon fedan.

Phrasal Verb: feed on something

Said especially of animals: to eat it, especially as a regular diet.
Example: The cattle fed on hay
Said of an emotion, etc: to be fuelled by something; to be strengthened or encouraged.

Phrasal Verb: feed something on something

To give it to (esp. farm) animals as food, especially as a regular diet.
Example: The farmer fed the cattle on hay

Phrasal Verb: feed someone up

To fatten them up with nourishing food.