Feeding

feeding
    n 1: the act of consuming food [syn: {eating}, {feeding}]
    2: the act of supplying food and nourishment [syn: {feeding},
       {alimentation}]
    

Feed \Feed\ (f[=e]d), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Fed} (f[e^]d); p. pr.
   & vb. n. {Feeding}.] [AS. f[=e]dan, fr. f[=o]da food; akin to
   OS. f[=o]dian, OFries. f[=e]da, f[=o]da, D. voeden, OHG.
   fuottan, Icel. f[ae][eth]a, Sw. f["o]da, Dan. f["o]de.
   [root]75. See {Food}.]
   1. To give food to; to supply with nourishment; to satisfy
      the physical huger of.
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            If thine enemy hunger, feed him.      --Rom. xii.
                                                  20.
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            Unreasonable creatures feed their young. --Shak.
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   2. To satisfy; gratify or minister to, as any sense, talent,
      taste, or desire.
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            I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him.
                                                  --Shak.
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            Feeding him with the hope of liberty. --Knolles.
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   3. 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.
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   4. To nourish, in a general sense; to foster, strengthen,
      develop, and guard.
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            Thou shalt feed my people Israel.     --2 Sam. v. 2.
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            Mightiest powers by deepest calms are fed. --B.
                                                  Cornwall.
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   5. 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.
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            Once in three years feed your mowing lands.
                                                  --Mortimer.
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   6. 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.
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   7. (Mach.)
      (a) To supply (the material to be operated upon) to a
          machine; as, to feed paper to a printing press.
      (b) 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).
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Feeding \Feed"ing\, n.
   1. the act of eating, or of supplying with food; the process
      of fattening.
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   2. That which is eaten; food.
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   3. That which furnishes or affords food, especially for
      animals; pasture land.
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   {Feeding bottle}. See under {Bottle}.
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