feed

1 of 2

verb

ˈfēd 

fed ˈfed  ; feeding

transitive verb

1

a

: to give food to

b

: to give as food

2

a

: to furnish something essential to the development, sustenance, maintenance, or operation of

reading feeds the mind

b

: to supply (material to be operated on) to a machine

c(1)

: to insert and deposit (something) repeatedly or continuously

feed quarters into a parking meter

(2)

: to insert and deposit something into (something)

Running out to feed the meter every hour doesn't work, because the meter will not permit more than one hour for a given car.

—T. R. Reid

3

: to produce or provide food for

4

a

: satisfy, gratify

b

: support, encourage

5

a(1)

: to supply for use or consumption

(2)

: channel, route

b(1)

: to supply (a signal) to an electronic circuit

(2)

: to send (as by wire or satellite) to a transmitting station for broadcast

6

: to supply (a fellow actor) with cues and situations that make a role more effective

7

: to pass a ball or puck to (a teammate) especially for a shot at the goal

intransitive verb

1

a

: to consume food : eat

b

: prey

—used with on, upon, or off

2

: to become nourished or satisfied or sustained as if by food

3

a

: to become channeled or directed

b

: to move into a machine or opening in order to be used or processed

feed

2 of 2

noun

1

a

: an act of eating

b

: meal

especially : a large meal

2

a

: food for livestock

specifically : a mixture or preparation for feeding livestock

b

: the amount given at each feeding

3

a

: material supplied (as to a furnace or machine)

b

: a mechanism by which the action of feeding is effected

c

: the motion or process of carrying forward the material to be operated upon (as in a machine)

d

: the act or process of feeding a signal (such as an audio or video transmission) to a station for broadcast

also : the signal being fed

a live satellite feed

e

: an Internet service in which updates from electronic information sources (such as blogs or social media accounts) are presented in a continuous stream

an RSS feed

also : the information presented by such a service

I changed my settings so that all of my cousin's posts would show up at the top of my feed.

4

: the action of passing a ball or puck to a team member who is in position to score

Synonyms

Verb

• board
• cater
• provision
• victual

Noun

• banquet
• dinner
• feast
• regale
• spread

Examples of feed in a Sentence

Verb

He was too weak to feed himself.

We feed the plants with a special fertilizer twice a week.

We fed the horses with apples, oats, and hay.

The children fed apples to the horses.

These supplies could feed a small army for a week.

He doesn't earn enough to feed a family of four.

helping to feed and clothe poor children

They used the wood to feed the fire.

The streams feed the creek.

The motor is fed by an electrical current.

Noun

There's a jam in the paper feed.

We had to cut off the main power feed.

They're showing a live satellite feed of the event.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Why Hummingbirds Love Petunias Petunias provide everything a hummingbird looks for in a flower—bright colors, nectar, and a shape that’s easy to feed from, says Carey. —Anne Readel, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 May 2025

At this time, telecommunications lines feed data from STARS in New York to the TRACON at Philadelphia International Airport, where controllers handle Newark arrivals and departures. —Suzanne Rowan Kelleher, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025

Noun

The brothers themselves, now 57 and 54, appeared at the proceedings in Los Angeles County Superior Court via live video feed from prison in San Diego. —Michael Loria, USA Today, 15 May 2025

Visitors can watch her through peep holes and a security camera feed. —Ariel Fisher, New York Times, 15 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English feden, from Old English fēdan; akin to Old English fōda food — more at food

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

1575, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing feed

• bottle-feed
• breast-feed
• chicken feed
• feed dog
• feed off
• feed one's face
• feed on/upon
• feed (someone) a line
• feed (someone) up
• feed the meter
• force-feed
• hand-feed
• mouth to feed
• self-feed
• spoon-feed
• stall-feed

Rhymes for feed

• bead
• bleed
• brede
• breed
• cede
• creed
• deed
• freed
• greed
• heed
• keyed
• knead

Kids Definition

feed

1 of 2 verb

ˈfēd 

fed ˈfed  ; feeding

1

a

: to give food to

b

: to give as food

c

: eat sense 1

d

: prey entry 2 sense 1a

—used with on, upon, or off

feeds on insects

2

a

: to supply with something necessary

b

: to supply (material to be operated on) to a machine

c

: to nourish or become nourished as if by food

3

a

: to supply for use

b

: to supply (a signal) to an electronic circuit or to a transmitter for broadcast

feed

2 of 2 noun

1

: meal entry 1

especially : a large meal

2

: food for livestock

3

: a mechanism by which feeding is carried out

4

a

: a signal fed to a transmitter

b

: an Internet service in which updates from electronic information sources (as blogs or social media accounts) are presented in a continuous stream

also : the information presented by such a service

Medical Definition

feed

1 of 2 verb

ˈfēd 

fed ˈfed  ; feeding

transitive verb

1

a

: to give food to

b

: to give as food

2

: to produce or provide food for

intransitive verb

: to consume food : eat

feed

2 of 2 noun

1

a

: an act of eating

b

: meal

especially : a large meal

2

a

: food for livestock

specifically : a mixture or preparation for feeding livestock

b

: the amount given at each feeding