feed
feed — verb
1. to make food available for a person or creature to eat, usually by putting it wh
to make food available for a person or creature to eat, usually by putting it where they can reach it.
Manuela feeds her cat twice a day, in the morning and the evening.
feed + pet + frequency pattern
The nurse had to feed the elderly patient who could not use his hands.
Amelia feeds her baby brother breakfast before they both leave for school.
feed + person + meal: direct object is the person
Volunteers at the shelter feed nearly a hundred dogs every morning.
Mert forgot to feed the goldfish, and his mother was not happy about it.
- feed the baby
- feed the dog/cat
- feed the family
- feed the children
- feed by hand
- nourish
more formal; focuses on providing nutrients for growth or health
- provide for
broader; can include non-food needs such as shelter or care
- starve
to give no food to a person or animal
Grammar Patterns
feed + person/animal
Usage Note
The direct object is the person or animal receiving food, not the food itself. Compare with 'eat' where the subject consumes food on its own.
Common Mistakes
2. when a young child or creature drinks milk or takes in food through its mouth, e
when a young child or creature drinks milk or takes in food through its mouth, especially from its mother or a bottle.
The newborn baby feeds every three hours throughout the day and night.
intransitive: subject is baby, pattern is feed + time interval
Linh's puppy fed hungrily from its mother for several minutes.
Most baby birds feed as soon as the mother returns to the nest with food.
Reema's baby started feeding more slowly, so she knew he was nearly full.
intransitive: feeding pace as a signal of fullness
The kittens fed quietly in a warm corner of the kitchen.
- feed on milk
- feed every few hours
- feed hungrily
- feed from the bottle
- feed at night
Grammar Patterns
feed (on) + milk/food
Usage Note
Intransitive only — the subject is the baby or animal taking in food. Do not use a direct object for the food itself. Distinguish from sense 1 where the subject gives food to another.
Common Mistakes
3. to be sufficient in amount to supply meals for a certain set of individuals or c
to be sufficient in amount to supply meals for a certain set of individuals or creatures.
This large pot of soup can feed a family of six for the whole week.
feed + quantity + people: capacity pattern with 'can'
The rice and beans will feed the workers for at least a month.
Zuri calculated that the food they had bought would feed all fifteen guests.
A single breadfruit tree can feed a small village for several days.
subject is a food source, pattern: [food source] + feed + [group]
The farmers grew just enough corn to feed their cattle through the winter.
- feed a crowd
- feed a family of [number]
- feed [number] people
- feed [group] for [time period]
- sustain
more formal; includes keeping someone alive over time, not just satisfying hunger in one meal
Grammar Patterns
feed + number/count of people or animals
Usage Note
The subject is the food itself, not a person. Often paired with 'can' or 'will' to talk about capacity or sufficiency.
Common Mistakes
4. to raise or provide sufficient nourishment so that a person, household, or commu
to raise or provide sufficient nourishment so that a person, household, or community does not go hungry over time.
The small family farm feeds the entire village with vegetables and fresh milk.
subject is source, pattern: [source] + feed + [group] + with + [produce]
This region's rice paddies feed millions of people every single year.
Brandon's vegetable garden feeds his family throughout the summer months.
garden as small-scale food source
The ocean cannot keep feeding a growing population if people take too many fish.
How can one small island feed so many tourists during the holiday season?
- feed the world
- feed the population
- feed the nation
- feed a community
- feed a growing city
- support
broader meaning; can include providing money, housing, or other necessities beyond food
Grammar Patterns
feed + group/population
Usage Note
The subject is a source of food — a farm, region, ocean, or system. Often used in discussions of agriculture, sustainability, and population size. Distinguish from sense 3 (single meal sufficiency) where the focus is on one dish or batch being enough for one occasion.
Common Mistakes
5. to add nutrients or fertilizer to a plant so that it grows well and stays health
to add nutrients or fertilizer to a plant so that it grows well and stays healthy.
Élise feeds her roses with liquid fertilizer once a month in spring.
feed + [plant] + with + [substance]: standard pattern
You should feed tomato plants every two weeks to get a good harvest.
The gardener fed the young seedlings with a mixture of compost and water.
Talia feeds her orchids a special plant food during the flowering season.
double object: feed + [plant] + [food]
If you feed your houseplants too much, the leaves may turn yellow.
- feed plants
- feed with fertilizer
- feed roses
- feed tomato plants
- feed orchids
- feed houseplants
- fertilize
more technical; focuses on adding chemical or organic nutrients to support plant growth
Grammar Patterns
feed + plant + with + substance
Usage Note
The object must be the plant, not the soil. Use 'with' to introduce the substance applied. Over-feeding can harm plants — this is a common warning in gardening advice.
Common Mistakes
6. to put or supply something, such as information, material, or energy, into a mac
to put or supply something, such as information, material, or energy, into a machine, system, or process in a steady or repeated way.
Eri fed the documents into the scanner one page at a time.
feed + [item] + into + [machine]: standard pattern
The sales data is fed directly into the company's main computer system.
passive: be fed + into + system
Yuki feeds fresh wood chips into the boiler every morning during winter.
Reporters feed their stories into the news system from their laptops.
feed + [content] + into + [digital system]
Information from each sensor is fed back to the control centre every second.
- feed into
- feed data
- feed information
- feed paper
- feed back
- feed through
Grammar Patterns
feed + material + into + machine/system
be fed + into + machine/system
Usage Note
Frequently used in the passive ('is fed into'). The preposition 'into' marks the destination — a machine, system, or process. 'Feed back' means sending return information to a central point.
Common Mistakes
7. to add wood, coal, or other burnable material to a fire, stove, or furnace so th
to add wood, coal, or other burnable material to a fire, stove, or furnace so that it keeps burning in a steady way
Apinya fed the campfire with dry branches until the flames grew tall.
feed + [fire] + with + [fuel]
The old iron stove in the cabin needs to be fed every hour in winter.
passive: be fed + [frequency]
Caio fed another log into the fireplace and watched the sparks rise.
If you feed the furnace too quickly, the fire may smoke instead of burning cleanly.
conditional clause: if you feed [object] too [adverb]
- feed the fire / stove / furnace
- feed [wood/coal/logs] into the fire
- feed the fire with [branches/newspapers/kindling]
- be fed every [hour/day]
- extinguish
to stop a fire from burning, opposite of keeping it going
- douse
to pour water over a fire, directly opposite of feeding it
Grammar Patterns
feed + [fire/stove/furnace] + with + [fuel]
feed + [fuel] + into/to + [fire/stove/furnace]
Usage Note
Common with fire, fireplace, stove, furnace, and campfire. The object is the container or the fire itself — not the fuel (you feed the fire with wood, not feed the wood).
Common Mistakes
8. in basketball, soccer, and ice hockey, to move the ball or puck towards a teamma
in basketball, soccer, and ice hockey, to move the ball or puck towards a teammate so that the teammate can try to score
Nala fed the basketball to Élise under the net, and Élise scored easily.
feed + [ball] + to + [teammate]
The midfielder fed the ball through a narrow gap in the defence.
Arjun fed a perfect pass to Mira, who was waiting near the goal.
collocation: feed a perfect pass
If Benjamin had fed the puck to Tariq sooner, they might have won the game.
conditional: feed [puck] to [player]
- feed the ball / puck
- feed [someone] with a pass
- feed it through / across
- feed a perfect pass
- intercept
when an opponent catches the ball meant for a teammate
Grammar Patterns
feed + [ball/puck] + to + [teammate]
feed + [teammate] + [ball/puck]
Usage Note
Used mainly for passes that directly set up a scoring chance. In British English the term is more common in soccer commentary; in North American English it appears in basketball and ice hockey.
Common Mistakes
9. to provide something that keeps a desire, habit, emotion, or need going — someti
to provide something that keeps a desire, habit, emotion, or need going — sometimes by satisfying it, sometimes by making it grow stronger
Jabari's constant trips to the casino fed his gambling addiction instead of curing it.
feed + addiction (negative habit)
Every time Camille received a compliment, it fed her need for approval even more.
feed + need for [something]
A small snack between meals can feed your hunger without spoiling dinner.
Diya noticed that social media platforms are designed to feed our desire for instant recognition.
passive construction: be designed to feed [desire]
- feed a desire / need / habit / addiction
- feed [someone's] curiosity / ego / imagination
- feed on [attention / approval]
- feed the [rumour / speculation / crisis]
- fuel
very similar, but fuel often suggests making something stronger (especially a negative emotion); feed can also mean satisfy
- gratify
formal; focuses on satisfying a desire, not on keeping it going
- sustain
more neutral and formal; suggests maintaining something at its current level
- encourage
broader — can apply to people or behaviours, not just internal desires
Grammar Patterns
feed + [desire/need/habit/addiction/curiosity]
feed + [someone/something] + with + [information/attention]
Usage Note
Can have a neutral or negative tone. When describing habits or addictions, feed often implies worsening the condition. With basic needs (hunger, curiosity) it is neutral.
Common Mistakes
feed back
phrasal verbTo return information or results to someone so they can use or improve something.
Please feed back your comments by Friday.
The system feeds back data to the control room.
feed into
phrasal verbTo contribute to or influence a larger process or situation.
Her research feeds into the company's new strategy.
These small changes feed into a bigger transformation.
feed off
phrasal verbTo use something as a source of energy, support, or inspiration.
The plants feed off the nutrients in the soil.
The team feeds off the crowd's energy during games.
feed on
phrasal verbTo eat a particular type of food, especially for animals or insects.
Caterpillars feed on the leaves of the plant.
The vampire bat feeds on blood from sleeping animals.
feed through
phrasal verbTo pass information or data through a system or process.
The results feed through to the main database.
Changes in policy feed through to all departments.
feed up
phrasal verbTo give someone a lot of food to make them stronger or healthier.
The nurse fed up the patient after his surgery.
We need to feed up the puppies so they grow strong.
To hurt or be ungrateful to someone who has helped or supported you.
Maya criticized her mentor, biting the hand that feeds her.
If you sue your employer, you're biting the hand that feeds you.
feed your face
idiomTo eat a large amount of food, often greedily or too much.
After the hike, Diego sat down to feed his face.
Stop feeding your face and save some for later.
feed — noun
1. a scheduled moment in a baby's day when milk or soft food is offered as nourishm
a scheduled moment in a baby's day when milk or soft food is offered as nourishment.
The nurse gave little Minh his first feed shortly after he was born.
a feed — countable noun for a single feeding session
After her 2 a.m. feed, baby Gita fell back asleep without a fuss.
New parents often worry about how much milk their baby takes at each feed.
at each feed — referring to a single meal session
Lan's mother kept a notebook recording the time of every daytime feed.
- a feed
- morning feed
- night feed
- miss a feed
- demand a feed
Grammar Patterns
a feed
Usage Note
Unlike the verb sense of 'feed', this noun use is almost always about babies — not adults or pets. It is typically used with 'a' or a possessive determiner: 'a feed', 'her feed'.
Common Mistakes
2. food intended for creatures raised on farms or living outdoors, rather than for
food intended for creatures raised on farms or living outdoors, rather than for companion animals inside a home.
Marta bought two large bags of chicken feed from the farming supply store.
chicken feed — [animal type] + feed
During the dry season, the cattle rely on stored hay and grain feed.
Felix checked the quality of the fish feed before putting it into the pond.
fish feed — specifying the target animal
The price of livestock feed has gone up because of the poor harvest.
- chicken feed
- cattle feed
- fish feed
- livestock feed
- grain feed
- bag of feed
Grammar Patterns
[type] feed
feed for [animal]
Usage Note
Used for animals raised on farms or in the wild. For pet food (dogs, cats, etc.), 'pet food' or the brand name is more common than 'feed'.
Common Mistakes
3. a big and enjoyable meal, often eaten on a special occasion or after a long peri
a big and enjoyable meal, often eaten on a special occasion or after a long period without food.
After the long hike, everyone sat down for a good feed at the village inn.
a good feed — informal, satisfying large meal
Selim's grandmother always prepares a massive feed whenever the family gathers for a celebration.
The fishermen came ashore hungry and headed straight to the pub for a proper feed.
a proper feed — British informal
Christopher invited everyone to his place for a barbecue feed on the weekend.
- a good feed
- a proper feed
- have a feed
- massive feed
Grammar Patterns
a feed
have a feed
Usage Note
This sense is chiefly British and informal. In American English, 'a big meal' or 'a feast' is more typical. It sounds old-fashioned or colloquial in many other contexts.
4. a part, pipe, or system that supplies fuel, material, or data to a machine, devi
a part, pipe, or system that supplies fuel, material, or data to a machine, device, or larger system on a regular basis.
The paper feed on the office printer kept jamming every few pages.
paper feed — specific machine part for supplying paper
Tunde checked the water feed to the cooling system before starting the engine.
A blocked fuel feed caused the generator to stop working during the power cut.
fuel feed — the pipe or channel that delivers fuel
The factory's main electrical feed runs underground from the substation to the building.
- paper feed
- fuel feed
- water feed
- feed pipe
- feed line
- feed mechanism
- supply line
a broader term that can include pipes, cables, or hoses carrying resources to a system
- conduit
a tube or channel for carrying fluids or cables; more technical than 'feed'
Grammar Patterns
[something] feed
feed for [machine]
Usage Note
Often combined with a material name to form a compound noun: 'paper feed', 'fuel feed', 'water feed'. The emphasis is on the pathway or mechanism, not the material itself.
Common Mistakes
5. a continuously updating list of new content on a website or app, such as social
a continuously updating list of new content on a website or app, such as social media posts, news articles, or video updates.
Adina scrolled through her social media feed during the bus ride to work.
social media feed — most common modern usage
The news website offers a live feed of breaking stories from around the world.
Nicholas set up an RSS feed to receive updates from his favourite blogs automatically.
RSS feed — a specific web feed technology
The camera feed from the security room appears on a screen near the front desk.
Eliska refreshed her feed often to see if any new jobs had been posted.
refresh a feed — common user action
- social media feed
- news feed
- live feed
- RSS feed
- video feed
- camera feed
- refresh the feed
- scroll through a feed
Grammar Patterns
[platform] feed
live feed
Usage Note
This is now the most frequent meaning of 'feed' as a noun, especially in technology contexts. 'Live feed' refers to real-time video or audio transmission. 'News feed' was popularised by Facebook and similar platforms.
Common Mistakes
6. in team ball sports such as football, basketball, or hockey, a pass that gives a
in team ball sports such as football, basketball, or hockey, a pass that gives a teammate a good chance to score a goal.
Minh delivered a perfect feed to her teammate, who scored the winning goal.
The striker missed an easy feed from the right wing during the final minutes.
an easy feed — a pass that should have led to a goal
Gita's quick feed through the defence caught the goalkeeper completely off guard.
With a clever feed across the penalty area, Lan set up the match-winning strike.
feed across the penalty area — describing the spatial trajectory
- a feed to
- deliver a feed
- perfect feed
- quick feed
- feed across
- scoring feed
Grammar Patterns
a feed to [player]
[player]'s feed
Usage Note
Distinguish from 'assist': a 'feed' is the pass itself; an 'assist' is the official credit a player receives for making a feed that leads directly to a goal. In basketball, 'feed' is often used for a pass into the post area.
Common Mistakes
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/1
Feed is the everyday word for giving food to a person, animal, or plant: 'She feeds her cats twice a day.' Nourish is more formal and focuses on providing the nutrients needed for healthy growth and development — often used for ideas or the soul in addition to the body: 'A balanced diet nourishes both body and mind.' Supply is broader and does not specifically involve food; it can refer to providing anything needed: 'The generator supplies electricity to the building.' Use feed when the direct object is a living thing receiving food, nourish for a formal or holistic sense of caring through food, and supply when the thing provided is not necessarily food.
Common collocations
Etymology
Feed comes from Old English fēdan, which is related to the word food (Old English fōda). The core meaning of giving food to someone has been in use for well over a thousand years. The newer abstract and technical senses—such as feeding data into a machine or scrolling a news feed—developed during the industrial and digital eras.