v. [f. SPOON sb. + FEED v. Cf. spoon-fed SPOON sb. 11.] trans. To feed with a spoon. Chiefly fig.
1615. Rowlands, Mel. Knight (Hunterian Cl.), 20. Taught by the prating Nurse which did spoon-feed him.
1864. Browning, Dram. Pers., Death in Desert, 109. So, minds at first must be spoon-fed with truth.
1890. M. Davitt, in 19th Cent., Nov., 855. They are anxious to more than spoon-feed the people of Ireland with self-government.
1900. Athenæum, 28 April, 520/3. To urge men to learn is a far higher profession than to spoon-feed them with learning.
