At feed, subs. phr. (colloquial).—At meat.
1890. National Observer, V., p. 138, col. 1. Statesmen at feed.
d. 1674. Milton. 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, 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. Jas. Payn, 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.
Feeder, subs. (common).—1. A spoon; among thieves a silver spoon. To
nab a feeder = to steal a spoon.
1785. Grose, Dict. Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1821. D. Haggart, Life, Glossary, s.v.
2. (university).—A tutor; crammer (q.v.); coach (q.v.).—(See Dr.
Blimber’s Mr. Feeder in Dombey and Son).
1766. O. Goldsmith, Vicar of Wakefield, chap. vii. (ed. 1827), p.
41. Mr. Thornhill came with a couple of friends, his chaplain and
feeder.
1864. Glasgow Herald, 9 Nov. [Review of Hotten’s Slang Dictionary.]
Feeder is given here as ‘old cant’ for a spoon.
Feeding-bottle, subs. (colloquial).—The paps. For synonyms, see Dairy.
Feel, verb (venery).—To take liberties with a woman. For synonyms, see
Firkytoodle.
Feel a Thing in One’s Bones.—See Bones.
Feele, subs. (common).—A girl or daughter. For synonyms in the former
sense, see Titter. [Fr., fille; It., figlia.] Feeles = mother and
daughter.
Feeler, subs. (colloquial)—1. A device or remark designed to bring out
the opinions of others.
1841. Tait’s Mag., Sept. ‘Political Register.’ The Times is putting
out feelers on the corn-law question.
1889. Pall Mall Gazette, 29 Nov., p. 6, col. 3. The efforts made to
purchase the Halliwell-Phillips collection by private subscription
in Birmingham, have (says the local Times) utterly failed. A feeler
was sent out by the Free Libraries Committee.