feed

views updated May 11 2018

feed / fēd/ • v. (past fed / fed/ ) [tr.] 1. give food to: the raiders fed the guard dog to keep it quiet. ∎  [intr.] (esp. of an animal or baby) take food; eat something: morays emerge at night to feed. ∎  provide an adequate supply of food for: the island's simple agriculture could hardly feed its inhabitants. ∎  [intr.] (feed on/off) derive regular nourishment from (a particular substance): fig. his powerful mind fed off political discussion. ∎  encourage the growth of: I could feed my melancholy by reading Romantic poetry. ∎  give fertilizer to (a plant). ∎  put fuel on (a fire).2. supply (a machine) with material, power, or other things necessary for its operation: the programs are fed into the computer. ∎  supply (someone) with (information, ideas, etc.): I think he is feeding his old employer commercial secrets. ∎  supply water to (a body of water): the pond is fed by a small stream [intr.] water feeds into the lower pool. ∎  distribute (a broadcast) to local television or radio stations via satellite or network: programs that the national networks feed to local stations.• n. 1. an act of giving food, esp. to animals or a baby, or of having food given to one. ∎ inf. a meal: a nice hot feed. ∎  food for domestic animals: cow feed.2. a device or conduit for supplying material to a machine: the plotter has a continuous paper feed. ∎  the supply of raw material to a machine or device: [as adj.] a feed pipe. ∎  a broadcast distributed by satellite or network from a central source to a large number of radio or television stations: a satellite feed from Washington.

feed

views updated Jun 08 2018

feed feed a cold and starve a fever proverbial saying, mid 19th century (probably intended as two separate admonitions, but sometimes interpreted to mean that if you feed a cold you will have to starve a fever later). A late 16th-century source records the advice, ‘Fasting is a great remedy in fevers.’

see also bite the hand that feeds one, a mouth to feed.

Feed

views updated Jun 11 2018

Feed Woof! 2005

Yuck. A police officer investigates a fetish website where a dominant feeder controls submissive gainers. Only he goes too far and they are forcefed to death. Will definitely put you off your dinner. 105m/C DVD . AU Jack Thompson, Alex O'Loughlin, Patrick Thompson, Rose Ashton, Gabby Millgate; D: Brett Leonard; W: Kieran Galvin; C: Steve Aronold; M: Gregg Leonard. VIDEO

feed

views updated Jun 27 2018

feed vb. OE. fēdan = OS. fōdian (Du. voeden), OHG. fuoten, ON. fœða, Goth. fōdjan :- Gmc. *fōðjan, f. *fōðan- FOOD.
Hence sb. XVI.

feed

views updated Jun 11 2018

feed
1. A device for moving media to a position at which the data can be read or printed.

2. To cause data or media to be entered into a system or peripheral.