subs. (colloquial).—A meal; SPREAD (q.v.), or BLOW-OUT (q.v.). Fr., une lampie (from lamper = to gulp down). [From the stable usage = an allowance of provender. An analogue, however, is found in Milton [Paradise Lost, bk. ix.]: ‘For such pleasures till that hour AT FEED or fountain never had I found.’]
1830. BULWER-LYTTON, Paul Clifford, p. 22, ed. 1854. Like most single men, being very much the gentlemen so far as money was concerned, he gave them plenty of FEEDS, and from time to time a very agreeable hop.
1853. REV. E. BRADLEY (‘Cuthbert Bede’), The Adventures of Mr. Verdant Green, an Oxford Freshman, pt. III., p. 90 (q.v.).
1861. A. TROLLOPE, Framley Parsonage, chap. iii. … It’s deuced shabby of him, not hunting here in his own county. He escapes all the bore of going to lectures, and giving FEEDS to the neighbours; that’s why he treats us so.
1864. YATES, Broken to Harness, ch. xxxiii. He had been accustomed to describe [Mr. Schröder] as ‘a good old cock, sir; a worthy old party; kind-hearted and all that, and giving no end good FEEDS.
18[?]. BRET HARTE, The Man of no Account. When the ‘Skyscraper’ arrived at San Francisco we had a grand FEED.
1883. G. A. S[ALA], in Illustrated London News, 7 July, p. 3, col. 1. To be able to escape from a large public FEED is, indeed, a sweet boon; but there are some big dinners at which attendance is a case of ‘must.’
Verb (football).—1. To support; back up.
2. (theatrical).—To prompt.
3. (university).—To teach or CRAM (q.v.) for an examination.
AT FEED, subs. phr. (colloquial).—At meat.
1890. National Observer, V., p. 138, col. 1. Statesmen AT FEED.
1667. MILTON, Paradise Lost, ix.
| For such pleasures till that hour, | |
| AT FEED or fountain never had I found. |
TO BE OFF ONE’S FEED, verb. phr. (common).—To have a distaste for food. [From the stable.]
1836. M. SCOTT, Tom Cringle’s Log, ch. ix. Shall I fill you a cup of coffee, Obed?… Why, man, you are OFF YOUR FEED.
1863. C. READE, Hard Cash, ii., 218. No, doctor; I’m OFF MY FEED for once.
1881. PAYN, A Grape from a Thorn, ch. liii. I won’t take a rasher this morning, thank you; nor yet any pigeon pie. I’m rather OFF MY FEED.
TO FEED THE DUMMY or THE DUMB-GLUTTON (q.v.), verb. phr. (venery).—To have connection. For synonyms, see RIDE.
TO FEED THE FISHES, verb. phr. (common).—To be sea-sick; also to be drowned.
1884. Home Tidings, 22 Nov., p. 398. Although I fed myself shortly before arriving abreast of Eddystone, I FED THE FISH shortly afterwards.
TO FEED THE PRESS, verb. phr. (journalistic).—To send up copy slip by slip.
