feeds
feeds — verb
- feedsthird-person singular simple present
- feedingpresent participle
- fedpast tense; past participle
- feedses3rd person singular
- feedsing-ing form
- feedsedpast simple
1. to put food in front of a person or animal so they can take it into their mouth
to put food in front of a person or animal so they can take it into their mouth and eat it.
The zookeeper feeds the lions every morning at eight o'clock.
feed + animal object; daily routine pattern
Nour feeds her baby rice cereal mixed with warm milk.
My neighbour asked me to feed her cat while she is on holiday.
feed + pet object
The hospital volunteer feeds patients who cannot hold a spoon.
In many families, one parent feeds the children before eating their own meal.
feed + person (indirect); sequencing
- feed the baby
- feed the dog
- feed the family
- feed livestock
- feed on insects
- starve
deprive of food intentionally or accidentally
Grammar Patterns
feed + person/animal
feed person/animal + on + food
Usage Note
The object can be a person, an animal, or a group. When describing a regular diet, use 'feed on': 'Owls feed on small rodents.'
Common Mistakes
2. when a baby or an animal takes food into its body through the mouth — especially
when a baby or an animal takes food into its body through the mouth — especially milk for babies or natural food for animals.
The newborn puppy feeds every two hours around the clock.
intransitive use; animal baby subject
Mei's baby feeds well and has already gained half a kilogram.
The goats feed on grass and leaves in the mountain pasture.
feed on + food type; natural diet context
Some birds feed mainly on insects caught during flight.
- feed on grass
- feed every hour
- feed well
- feed hungrily
- feed from a bottle
Grammar Patterns
feed as intransitive verb
feed on + food
Usage Note
This sense is intransitive — there is no direct object. The eater is the subject. 'Feed on' specifies what type of food the animal eats. Not used for adult humans eating meals (use 'eat').
Common Mistakes
3. to provide enough food to satisfy all the people or animals at a meal or gatheri
to provide enough food to satisfy all the people or animals at a meal or gathering.
This large pot of soup can feed a family of six for two days.
feed + number of people; quantity pattern
The school canteen feeds over eight hundred students every lunchtime.
A single sheep does not feed a whole village during the festival.
negative; whole group as object
The hotel kitchen feeds three hundred guests at the buffet each evening.
- feed the whole family
- feed a crowd
- feed hundreds
- feed the village
- serve
focuses on the action of distributing food, not on the quantity being sufficient
Grammar Patterns
feed + number of people
feed + group
Usage Note
The object is the group or number of people/animals served. The food amount is the subject. This sense does NOT focus on the act of giving food but on the capacity to satisfy hunger.
Common Mistakes
4. to produce or earn enough food so that a person, family, or community can stay a
to produce or earn enough food so that a person, family, or community can stay alive and healthy over time.
The small farm feeds the whole family through the winter months.
farm as subject; family as object; time span
Lin's part-time job alone cannot feed a household of four people.
The garden feeds the neighbourhood with fresh vegetables from spring to autumn.
feed + group + with + food type
Many fishermen feed their communities by selling the day's catch at the port.
- feed a family
- feed the community
- feed a household
- feed oneself
- sustain
broader meaning — includes non-food needs; more formal
- provide for
includes food, shelter, and other necessities
Grammar Patterns
feed + person/group
feed oneself
Usage Note
Unlike sense 1, which focuses on the moment of giving food, this sense emphasises sustained provision over time. The subject is often a farm, job, garden, or natural resource.
5. to add nutrients such as fertiliser to plants or soil to help them grow well.
to add nutrients such as fertiliser to plants or soil to help them grow well.
The gardener feeds the rose bushes with liquid fertiliser every spring.
feed + plant + with + substance; seasonal pattern
You should feed young tomato plants once a week during the growing season.
modal + feed; advice pattern
Compost feeds the soil slowly, releasing nutrients over several months.
The farmer feeds the wheat fields with nitrogen-rich fertiliser before the rains.
- feed the plants
- feed the soil
- feed with fertiliser
- feed once a week
- feed compost
Grammar Patterns
feed + plant/soil
feed + plant + with + substance
Usage Note
The direct object is the plant or the soil, not the fertiliser. The fertiliser is introduced with 'with'. Distinguish from sense 1 (feeding animals) — here the 'food' is plant nutrients.
Common Mistakes
6. to supply something such as data, fuel, or material to a machine, system, or pro
to supply something such as data, fuel, or material to a machine, system, or process in a steady flow.
The technician feeds the printer with paper from a large storage drawer.
feed + machine + with + material
The software feeds customer data into the billing system every night.
feed + data + into + system
Solar panels feed extra electricity back into the power grid.
Workers feed sheets of metal into the cutting machine one at a time.
The pipeline feeds natural gas from the offshore well to the processing plant.
feed + substance + from X + to Y; continuous supply
- feed data into
- feed paper into
- feed information to
- feed back into
- feed the machine
Grammar Patterns
feed + something + into + machine/system
feed + machine + with + material
feed + into + system
Usage Note
The pattern alternates: 'feed A into B' (A is the material, B is the machine) or 'feed B with A' (B is the machine, A is the material). Both are common in technical English.
Common Mistakes
7. to place a substance that burns, such as wood, coal, or gas, into a fire, furnac
to place a substance that burns, such as wood, coal, or gas, into a fire, furnace, or stove so that it keeps burning
Eshe fed more logs into the campfire to keep everyone warm through the cold night.
pattern: feed A into B (putting fuel into a fire)
The old furnace in the basement needs to be fed with coal every few hours during winter.
pattern: feed B with A (providing a furnace with fuel)
Dario fed the small cooking stove with dry twigs and pine cones from the forest floor.
Selim fed wood pellets into the boiler to heat the entire house during the snowstorm.
- feed [wood/logs/coal] into [fire/furnace/stove]
- feed [fire/furnace/stove] with [fuel]
- feed the fire
- feed the boiler
Grammar Patterns
feed + [fuel] + into + [fire/furnace]
feed + [fire/furnace] + with + [fuel]
Usage Note
Common in two patterns: 'feed A into B' (placing fuel into a device) and 'feed B with A' (supplying a device with fuel). Subject is usually a person; the fire or furnace can also be the object directly: 'feed the fire'.
Common Mistakes
8. in games like soccer, ice hockey, and basketball, to send the game ball to a mem
in games like soccer, ice hockey, and basketball, to send the game ball to a member of your own side who can attempt a goal or basket
Ravindra fed the ball to Otis, who scored the winning goal in the final minute of the match.
pattern: feed the ball to [teammate] for a scoring chance
Hui fed the puck across the ice to Inês, who shot it into the top corner of the net.
The point guard fed the ball to Jessica under the basket for an easy layup that tied the game.
João fed the ball through the defence to Alessia, but the goalkeeper managed to block her shot.
collocation: feed through the defence
- feed [ball/puck] to [teammate]
- feed through the defence
- feed the [striker/winger/center]
Grammar Patterns
feed + [ball/puck] + to + [teammate]
Usage Note
Common in soccer (football), basketball, and ice hockey. The recipient is usually closer to the goal and in a scoring position. Can also be used with 'puck' instead of 'ball' for ice hockey.
9. to provide what is needed to satisfy or gratify a strong desire, need, curiosity
to provide what is needed to satisfy or gratify a strong desire, need, curiosity, or emotion that someone feels
Noa fed her love of jazz music by attending concerts and collecting vintage vinyl records.
object: love, passion, interest
The travel documentaries on television fed Otis's curiosity about the ancient temples of Southeast Asia.
João's craving for adventure was fed by the weekend hiking trips through the rugged mountain trails.
passive: craving was fed by [experience]
The online art course fed Eri's passion for watercolour painting and helped her improve her technique.
- feed [sb's] [curiosity/desire/passion/craving]
- feed [sb's] [love/interest] for/in [sth]
- feed a [need/craving/thirst]
- suppress
to hold back a desire instead of satisfying it
Grammar Patterns
feed + [desire/curiosity/passion/craving]
Usage Note
Objects are typically abstract nouns describing a personal desire or emotional need: curiosity, passion, craving, thirst (for knowledge), interest. Not used with basic physical needs like literal hunger or thirst — use 'satisfy' for those.
Common Mistakes
10. to make a feeling, belief, opinion, or situation become stronger or grow larger
to make a feeling, belief, opinion, or situation become stronger or grow larger by providing what supports it
The coach's encouraging words fed Jessica's confidence before the championship swimming race.
object: confidence, belief, determination
Misleading headlines on social media can feed public fear about health issues that are not well understood.
The new factory fed the rapid growth of the local economy by creating hundreds of new jobs.
Ongoing arguments about money slowly fed the tension between the two business partners over several months.
collocation: feed tension / feed conflict
- feed [fear/anger/confidence/suspicion]
- feed [tension/conflict/growth]
- feed the [belief/perception/notion]
Grammar Patterns
feed + [feeling/belief/situation]
Usage Note
Distinguish from sense 9: 'feed' a desire (sense 9) means satisfying it, while 'feed' a feeling or belief (sense 10) means making it stronger or more widespread. Sense 10 often appears with negative outcomes (fear, suspicion, conflict) but also with positive ones (confidence, growth).
Common Mistakes
feeds — noun
- feedsplural
1. a single time when a baby is given milk or soft food to eat, especially as part
a single time when a baby is given milk or soft food to eat, especially as part of a daily routine
Trang gave the baby a warm feed before putting her down to sleep.
countable: a feed
Each feed lasted about twenty minutes before the infant fell asleep again.
The nurse told the new mother that the baby needed six feeds a day during the first month.
Yumi woke up twice every night for the midnight feed and the early-morning feed.
compound: midnight feed
- midnight feed
- morning feed
- miss a feed
- demand feed
- feeding
more formal and interchangeable in most contexts; 'feed' is shorter and more colloquial
- nursing session
specific to breastfeeding; narrower than 'feed'
Usage Note
Countable — typically used with a number or quantifier (three feeds, several feeds, each feed). Most common in British English medical and childcare contexts.
Common Mistakes
2. food given to farm animals, wild creatures, or livestock, rather than to pets ke
food given to farm animals, wild creatures, or livestock, rather than to pets kept inside a home
The farmer ordered a truckload of feed for the cattle before the winter snow arrived.
uncountable: a truckload of feed
Nia mixed the dry feed with water before pouring it into the goats' trough.
Chickens need a different type of feed than pigs do because their nutritional needs are not the same.
Beatriz checked the bag of chicken feed and found it was almost empty.
collocation: chicken feed
- chicken feed
- cattle feed
- animal feed
- feed store
- feed bin
Usage Note
Usually uncountable, but can be countable when referring to a specific type or batch of feed (a grain feed, a protein-rich feed).
Common Mistakes
3. a large and satisfying meal, especially one shared with others in a relaxed sett
a large and satisfying meal, especially one shared with others in a relaxed setting
After the long hike the group sat down for a good feed at the village inn.
collocation: a good feed
Lakshmi treated everyone to a proper feed of grilled fish and roasted vegetables at her seaside home.
The wedding guests enjoyed a huge feed that included three kinds of meat and fresh garden salads.
collocation: a huge feed
Ava said she had not had such a lovely feed since visiting her grandmother's farm as a child.
- a good feed
- a proper feed
- a huge feed
- have a feed
Usage Note
Informal and primarily British; often used with adjectives like 'good', 'proper', 'lovely', or 'huge'. Avoid in formal writing.
Common Mistakes
4. the opening, tube, or mechanism through which fuel, paper, material, or other su
the opening, tube, or mechanism through which fuel, paper, material, or other supplies are delivered into a machine so it can operate
The printer's paper feed jammed again, so the report came out with blank pages in the middle.
compound: paper feed
Stefan checked the fuel feed on the generator to make sure the pipe was not blocked.
The technician adjusted the water feed to keep the cooling system running at the right temperature.
A loose screw in the material feed caused the cutting machine to stop every few minutes.
- paper feed
- fuel feed
- water feed
- material feed
- feed mechanism
- inlet
specifically refers to an opening where liquid or gas enters; more technical and narrower
- supply line
focuses on the pipe or tube delivering the material, not the mechanism
Usage Note
Often combined with a preceding noun that specifies the material (paper feed, fuel feed, water feed). Common in technical manuals and engineering contexts.
Common Mistakes
5. a continuously updated list of content on a website or app that shows new posts,
a continuously updated list of content on a website or app that shows new posts, articles, photos, or messages from people or sources the user follows
Yael scrolls through her social media feed every morning while drinking her first cup of coffee.
collocation: social media feed
The news feed on Tuan's phone showed updates about the storm every fifteen minutes.
collocation: news feed
Aylin turned off notifications from the app because her feed was filling up with advertisements.
Caleb posted three photos to his feed after returning from the hiking trip in the mountains.
- news feed
- social media feed
- RSS feed
- Instagram feed
- scroll through a feed
- feed reader
Usage Note
Almost always used with a modifier specifying the platform or content type (news feed, social media feed, Instagram feed, RSS feed).
Common Mistakes
6. a pass of the ball or puck in a team sport to a teammate who is in a good positi
a pass of the ball or puck in a team sport to a teammate who is in a good position to score
Dylan sent a perfect feed across the box, and the striker tapped the ball into the net.
collocation: perfect feed
Ava received a quick feed from the point guard and scored the winning basket just before the buzzer.
The midfielder's feed split the defence and set up the only goal of the match.
Stefan's feed to the winger was too slow, and the opposing defender intercepted it easily.
- perfect feed
- quick feed
- split the defence with a feed
- feed to the striker
- assist
the official statistical term for a pass that directly leads to a goal; 'feed' is more informal and descriptive
- through-ball
specific to football/soccer, referring to a pass played between defenders into space
Usage Note
Common in British sports commentary and reporting, especially in football (soccer), rugby, and hockey. In American English, 'assist' is the more common term.
Common Mistakes
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/1
feed 是最普通、最日常的用詞，指把食物放入人或動物口中（A1 程度即可使用）。nourish 較為正式，強調提供生長所需的養分（B2），例如 'a balanced diet nourishes the body'。supply 更廣泛，不限於食物（B2），可以是物資、電力、資訊等，例如 'supply the city with water'。sustain 層次最高（C1），著重長期維持生命或支撐某種狀態，例如 'the farm sustains the whole community'。在動物飼料這個名詞語境中，feed 對應『飼料』（B1），fodder 則專指乾草等粗飼料（C1），而 forage 指動物自行覓食的野草（C2）。在網路用語中，feed 指動態消息串流（B1），此時同義詞為 stream（B2）或 timeline（B2）。
Common collocations
Nouns
- feed the baby
- feed the family
- feed the machine
- news feed
- social media feed
- feed store
- feed bin
- feed mechanism
Phrases
- feed on something
- feed into something
- feed back into
- feed through the system
- a good feed
- chicken feed
- RSS feed
Etymology
From Old English fēdan ('to nourish, give food to'), from Proto-Germanic *fōdijaną ('to feed'), from Proto-Indo-European *peh₂- ('to protect, guard, feed'). Cognate with Old Saxon fōdian, Old High German fuoten, Gothic fōdjan ('to feed, nourish'), and related to the noun food and the verb foster. The sense of supplying material to a machine or data to a system emerged in the 19th–20th centuries with industrial and computing technology.
First known use
12th century
12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a Noun