- AS. fēdan, fr. fōda food; akin to OS. fōdian, OFries. fēdafōda, D. voeden, OHG. fuottan, Icel. fæða, Sw. föda, Dan. föde. √75. See Food
- To give food to; to supply with nourishment; to satisfy the physical huger of.If thine enemy hunger, feed him.Unreasonable creatures feed their young.
- To satisfy; gratify or minister to, as any sense, talent, taste, or desire.I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him.Feeding him with the hope of liberty.
- To fill the wants of; to supply with that which is used or wasted; as, springs feed ponds; the hopper feeds the mill; to feed a furnace with coal.
- To nourish, in a general sense; to foster, strengthen, develop, and guard.Thou shalt feed my people Israel.Mightiest powers by deepest calms are fed.
- To graze; to cause to be cropped by feeding, as herbage by cattle; as, if grain is too forward in autumn, feed it with sheep.Once in three years feed your mowing lands.
- To give for food, especially to animals; to furnish for consumption; as, to feed out turnips to the cows; to feed water to a steam boiler.
- MachTo supply (the material to be operated upon) to a machine; as, to feed paper to a printing press.To produce progressive operation upon or with (as in wood and metal working machines, so that the work moves to the cutting tool, or the tool to the work).
