feeder : Dictionary / Wörterbuch (BEOLINGUS, TU Chemnitz)

English Dictionary: feeder	by the DICT Development Group
2 results for feeder
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
feeder n an animal being fattened or suitable for fattening someone who consumes food for nourishment Synonym(s): eater, feeder a branch that flows into the main stream Synonym(s): feeder, tributary, confluent, affluent Antonym(s): distributary a machine that automatically provides a supply of some material; "the feeder discharged feed into a trough for the livestock" Synonym(s): self-feeder, feeder an outdoor device that supplies food for wild birds Synonym(s): bird feeder, birdfeeder, feeder an animal that feeds on a particular source of food; "a bark feeder"; "a mud feeder"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Feeder \Feed"er\, n. 1. One who, or that which, gives food or supplies nourishment; steward. A couple of friends, his chaplain and feeder. --Goldsmith. 2. One who furnishes incentives; an encourager. [bd]The feeder of my riots.[b8] --Shak. 3. One who eats or feeds; specifically, an animal to be fed or fattened. With eager feeding, food doth choke the feeder. --Shak. 4. One who fattens cattle for slaughter. 5. A stream that flows into another body of water; a tributary; specifically (Hydraulic Engin.), a water course which supplies a canal or reservoir by gravitation or natural flow. 6. A branch railroad, stage line, or the like; a side line which increases the business of the main line. 7. (Mining) (a) A small lateral lode falling into the main lode or mineral vein. --Ure. (b) A strong discharge of gas from a fissure; a blower. --Raymond. 8. (Mach.) An auxiliary part of a machine which supplies or leads along the material operated upon. 9. (Steam Engine) A device for supplying steam boilers with water as needed.