Feed vs. Fed — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on October 12, 2023
"Feed" is the present tense verb meaning to give food, while "Fed" is the past tense of "Feed" and can also refer to the Federal Reserve.
Difference Between Feed and Fed
Table of Contents
ADVERTISEMENT
Key Differences
Feed is a verb in the present tense, indicating the action of giving food to a person, animal, or even a machine. When you say you feed your pet, you are currently or habitually providing it with nourishment. In contrast, Fed serves as the past tense and past participle form of the verb "feed." When you say you fed your pet, you are referring to a specific time in the past when you provided nourishment.
Feed also has the versatility of being used as a noun in certain contexts. For instance, one might refer to the content provided in a continuous stream, like a news feed on social media. On the other hand, Fed is commonly known as an abbreviation for the Federal Reserve System in the U.S., the central banking system that oversees and regulates monetary policy.
When someone uses Feed in a sentence, they are emphasizing an ongoing or future action. For instance, "I will feed the birds every morning" denotes a future intent. Meanwhile, using Fed suggests a completed action, like "I already fed the birds."
In technology, Feed often describes a continuous stream or supply of information or data, like an RSS feed on a website. Fed, in contexts outside its role as a past tense verb, is largely recognized in financial and economic discussions, reflecting its association with the U.S. Federal Reserve.
Comparison Chart
Grammatical Role
Present tense verb, can also be a noun.
Past tense and past participle verb, also a noun (abbreviation).
ADVERTISEMENT
Usage Example
"I feed the dog daily."
"I fed the dog yesterday."
Meaning
To give food or supply information.
Given food in the past, or Federal Reserve.
Associated Contexts
Animals, machines, technology.
Animals, financial and economic contexts.
Regular/ Irregular Form
Regular verb form.
Irregular past tense form.
Compare with Definitions
Feed
To provide an ongoing stream of information or data.
The website offers a live feed of the event.
Fed
The Federal Reserve System.
The Fed made an announcement about interest rates.
Feed
To nourish and foster growth or development.
Positive feedback will feed her confidence.
Fed
A federal agent or officer.
The feds were investigating the case.
Feed
To serve as food for.
Plants feed many herbivores.
Fed
Having had food given.
The baby is fed and changed.
Feed
To give food to; supply with nourishment
Feed the children.
Fed
Satisfied, especially in terms of food.
After the feast, everyone was well fed.
Feed
To provide as food or nourishment
Fed fish to the cat.
Fed
Past tense of "feed."
He fed the horse an apple.
Feed
To serve as food for
The turkey is large enough to feed a dozen.
Fed
The Federal Reserve.
Feed
To produce food for
The valley feeds an entire county.
Fed
Often fed A federal agent or official.
Feed
To provide for consumption, utilization, or operation
Feed logs to a fire.
Feed data into a computer.
Fed
Past tense and past participle of feed.
Feed
To supply with something essential for growth, maintenance, or operation
Melting snow feeds the reservoirs.
Fed
A federal government officer or official, especially a FBI, CIA, NSA, ATF, or DEA agent.
That corrupt fed was caught taking bribes from a mobster!
Feed
To transmit (media content) by means of a communications network or satellite, as for processing or distribution.
Fed
A police officer.
Feed
To minister to; gratify
Fed their appetite for the morbid.
Fed
The Canadian federal government.
Salmon were becoming scarce in the river until the feds stepped in.
Feed
To support or promote; encourage
His unexplained absences fed our suspicions.
Fed
A federation in which powerlifters organize to compete.
Feed
To supply as a cue
Feed lines to an actor.
Fed
Any federal law-enforcement officer
Feed
(Sports) To pass a ball or puck to (a teammate), especially to set up a scoring chance.
Fed
The central bank of the United States; incorporates 12 Federal Reserve branch banks and all national banks and state charted commercial banks and some trust companies;
The Fed seeks to control the United States economy by raising and lowering short-term interest rates and the money supply
Feed
To eat. Used of animals
Pigs feeding at a trough.
Feed
To be nourished or supported
An ego that feeds on flattery.
Feed
To move steadily, as into a machine for processing.
Feed
To be channeled; flow
This road feeds into the freeway.
Feed
Food for animals, especially livestock.
Feed
The amount of such food given at one time.
Feed
(Informal) A meal, especially a large one
We had a great feed at the restaurant.
Feed
The act of providing food, especially to an animal
Food given at one feed.
Feed
Material or an amount of material supplied, as to a machine or furnace.
Feed
The act of supplying such material.
Feed
An apparatus that supplies material to a machine.
Feed
The aperture through which such material enters a machine.
Feed
The transmission or conveyance of published content, as by satellite, on the internet, or by broadcast over a network of stations.
Feed
A signal or program made by means of such transmission
The satellite feed was garbled due to sunspot activity.
Feed
(Sports) A pass of a ball or puck, especially to set up a scoring chance.
Feed
(transitive) To give (someone or something) food to eat.
Feed the dog every evening.
Feed
(intransitive) To eat usually of animals.
Spiders feed on gnats and flies.
Feed
(ditransitive) To give (someone or something) to (someone or something else) as food.
Feed the fish to the dolphins.
Feed
(transitive) To give to a machine to be processed.
Feed the paper gently into the document shredder.
We got interesting results after feeding the computer with the new data.
Feed
(figurative) To satisfy, gratify, or minister to (a sense, taste, desire, etc.).
Feed
To supply with something.
Springs feed ponds with water.
Feed
To graze; to cause to be cropped by feeding, as herbage by cattle.
If grain is too forward in autumn, feed it with sheep.
Feed
To pass to.
Feed
To create the environment where another phonological rule can apply; to be applied before another rule.
Nasalization feeds raising.
Feed
To create the syntactic environment in which another syntactic rule is applied; to be applied before another syntactic rule.
Feed
Simple past tense and past participle of fee
Feed
(uncountable) Food given to (especially herbivorous) non-human animals.
They sell feed, riding helmets, and everything else for horses.
Feed
Something supplied continuously.
A satellite feed
Feed
The part of a machine that supplies the material to be operated upon.
The paper feed of a printer
Feed
The forward motion of the material fed into a machine.
Feed
A meal.
Feed
(countable) A gathering to eat, especially in large quantities.
They held a crab feed on the beach.
Feed
(Internet) Encapsulated online content, such as news or a blog, that can be subscribed to.
I've subscribed to the feeds of my favourite blogs, so I can find out when new posts are added without having to visit those sites.
Feed
A straight man who delivers lines to the comedian during a performance.
Feed
To give food to; to supply with nourishment; to satisfy the physical huger of.
If thine enemy hunger, feed him.
Unreasonable creatures feed their young.
Feed
To satisfy; gratify or minister to, as any sense, talent, taste, or desire.
I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him.
Feeding him with the hope of liberty.
Feed
To fill the wants of; to supply with that which is used or wasted; as, springs feed ponds; the hopper feeds the mill; to feed a furnace with coal.
Feed
To nourish, in a general sense; to foster, strengthen, develop, and guard.
Thou shalt feed my people Israel.
Mightiest powers by deepest calms are fed.
Feed
To graze; to cause to be cropped by feeding, as herbage by cattle; as, if grain is too forward in autumn, feed it with sheep.
Once in three years feed your mowing lands.
Feed
To give for food, especially to animals; to furnish for consumption; as, to feed out turnips to the cows; to feed water to a steam boiler.
Feed
To supply (the material to be operated upon) to a machine; as, to feed paper to a printing press.
Feed
To take food; to eat.
Her kid . . . which I afterwards killed because it would not feed.
Feed
To subject by eating; to satisfy the appetite; to feed one's self (upon something); to prey; - with on or upon.
Leaving thy trunk for crows to feed upon.
Feed
To be nourished, strengthened, or satisfied, as if by food.
Feed
To place cattle to feed; to pasture; to graze.
If a man . . . shall put in his beast, and shall feed in another man's field.
Feed
That which is eaten; esp., food for beasts; fodder; pasture; hay; grain, ground or whole; as, the best feed for sheep.
Feed
A grazing or pasture ground.
Feed
An allowance of provender given to a horse, cow, etc.; a meal; as, a feed of corn or oats.
Feed
A meal, or the act of eating.
For such pleasure till that hourAt feed or fountain never had I found.
Feed
The water supplied to steam boilers.
Feed
The motion, or act, of carrying forward the stuff to be operated upon, as cloth to the needle in a sewing machine; or of producing progressive operation upon any material or object in a machine, as, in a turning lathe, by moving the cutting tool along or in the work.
Feed
Food for domestic livestock
Feed
Provide as food;
Feed the guests the nuts
Feed
Give food to;
Feed the starving children in India
Don't give the child this tough meat
Feed
Feed into; supply;
Her success feeds her vanity
Feed
Introduce continuously;
Feed carrots into a food processor
Feed
Support or promote;
His admiration fed her vanity
Feed
Take in food; used of animals only;
This dog doesn't eat certain kinds of meat
What do whales eat?
Feed
Serve as food for; be the food for;
This dish feeds six
Feed
Move along, of liquids;
Water flowed into the cave
The Missouri feeds into the Mississippi
Feed
Profit from in an exploitatory manner;
He feeds on her insecurity
Feed
Gratify;
Feed one's eyes on a gorgeous view
Feed
Provide with fertilizers or add nutrients to;
We should fertilize soil if we want to grow healthy plants
Feed
To give food to a person or animal.
She will feed the cats at noon.
Feed
To supply with something necessary.
The machine will feed paper into the printer.
Common Curiosities
Is "Feed" always a verb?
No, "Feed" can also be a noun, especially in contexts like news feeds.
What's an example of "Feed" in technology?
An RSS feed that provides regular updates from a website.
Can "Feed" indicate a future action?
Yes, as in "I will feed the birds tomorrow."
Is "Fed" the only past tense form of "Feed"?
Yes, "Fed" is the past tense and past participle form of "Feed."
What does "Fed" mean in a banking context?
"Fed" is an abbreviation for the Federal Reserve System.
Can "Feed" mean to provide something other than food?
Yes, it can mean supplying or providing anything, like information.
How is "Fed" used in law enforcement?
It can refer to a federal agent, as in "The feds are on the case."
Does "Fed" have meanings outside the past tense of "Feed"?
Yes, it can refer to the Federal Reserve or a federal agent.
Can animals feed themselves?
Yes, when they hunt or graze, it's said they feed themselves.
Is "Feed" used in social media contexts?
Yes, you might hear about a news feed or an Instagram feed.
Can "Feed" indicate sustaining or promoting growth?
Yes, like "feeding someone's ego."
What does it mean when someone says "The Fed has spoken"?
It means the Federal Reserve has made an announcement or decision.
Can "Fed" be used as an adjective?
Yes, as in "well-fed," meaning someone has eaten well.
If "Fed" refers to past, what's the future tense of "Feed"?
The future tense is "will feed."
Is "Feed" related only to eating?
No, it can relate to providing, supplying, or nourishing in various contexts.
Share Your Discovery
Previous Comparison
Hypothermia vs. Hyperthermia
Next Comparison
Sceptical vs. SkepticalAuthor Spotlight
Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
