1 B1 informal
To give a person or animal more food than usual to restore health or increase weight.
"After his long illness, the nurses worked to feed him up before he could be discharged."
separable
feed up
B1 informal separable transitive
To give a person or animal extra or richer food in order to restore their health or increase their weight.
In plain English
To give someone lots of food to make them stronger or healthier.
What does "feed up" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 neutral
To fatten livestock intentionally by providing extra feed.
"They fed up the lambs on grain for the last few weeks before the show."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To feed (give food to) someone until they are restored — 'up' suggests returning to a better state.
Actually means
To give someone lots of food to make them stronger or healthier.
Usage tip
Common in British English, especially used by parents, grandparents, or caregivers. Often used when someone is recovering from illness or appears underweight. Very similar to 'fatten up' but with more emphasis on nourishment than weight gain.
Words that pair with "feed up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
patient children convalescent animals sick thin
How to conjugate "feed up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
feed up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
feeds up
he/she/it
Past simple
feeded up
yesterday
Past participle
feeded up
have + pp
-ing form
feeding up
continuous
Hear "feed up" in the wild
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Other ways to say "feed up"
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