feed on

Học thuật
Thân thiện
Definition

Verb: 1. To consume as food; to eat: This meaning describes an animal or organism taking in and using something as nourishment. 2. To derive sustenance, support, or energy from; to be sustained by: This figurative meaning describes getting mental, emotional, or motivational strength from a non-physical source.

Usage and Examples

The verb "feed on" is used to describe the source of nourishment or sustenance, whether literal or figurative. It is typically followed by the object that provides the sustenance.

  • Literal (Biological) Usage:

    • Caterpillars feed on the leaves of this plant.
    • The investigation revealed that the bacteria feed on sulfur.

  • Figurative (Metaphorical) Usage:

    • Rumors feed on uncertainty.
    • His creativity feeds on solitude and quiet observation.
    • The team fed on the energy of the home crowd.
Advanced Usage
  • "To feed on itself": Describes a process that generates its own momentum or conditions for continuation, often in a negative cycle.
    • Public panic can feed on itself, leading to greater chaos.
    • The economic downturn fed on itself, causing further job losses and reduced spending.
Variants and Related Words
  • Feed off (phrasal verb): Often used interchangeably with "feed on," especially in figurative contexts. It can emphasize drawing energy from an external source.
    • The comedian fed off the audience's laughter.
  • Prey on/upon (phrasal verb): While also meaning to hunt and eat, it more strongly implies a victimizer-victim relationship, often used figuratively for exploitation.
    • Scammers prey on vulnerable people. (This implies exploitation, not just deriving sustenance.)
  • Subsist on (verb phrase): To maintain life with a particular, often minimal, source of food or support.
    • The villagers subsist on rice and fish.
Synonyms
  • Dine on (more formal, usually for people)
  • Consume
  • Live on
  • Draw nourishment from
  • Thrive on (implies positive growth and strength from the source)
Related Phrasal Verbs
  • Feed into: To contribute to a larger process, system, or result.
    • Data from all regions feeds into the central report.
    • Their anxiety fed into a general sense of mistrust.
Related Idioms
  • To be food for thought: Something that provides mental stimulation or material for consideration. This idiom is conceptually related to the figurative "feed on."
    • His controversial theory provided plenty of food for thought.
Verb
  1. be sustained by
    • He fed on the great ideas of her mentor

Từ đồng nghĩa

Từ gần giống