Phrasal verb
feed up
Definition
phrasal verb. to give someone a lot of good food so they become healthier or heavier.
phrasal verb. to provide a person or animal with a high-calorie or nutrient-dense diet, typically to restore health or increase body mass.
Examples
“His grandmother tried to feed him up during the holidays.”
“After his long illness, his parents did their best to feed him up with homemade soups and bread.”
“The livestock were fed up on high-quality grain in preparation for the winter months when grazing would be scarce.”
Examples
simple
“His grandmother tried to feed him up during the holidays.”
contextual
“After his long illness, his parents did their best to feed him up with homemade soups and bread.”
complex
“The livestock were fed up on high-quality grain in preparation for the winter months when grazing would be scarce.”
Usage
often used in the passive voice or with a person as the direct object.
Teaching tip
distinguish from 'feed' (general) and 'be fed up with' (annoyed); this phrasal verb focuses on the result of becoming stronger or fatter.
Pitfall
I am feed up with this rain.
I am fed up with this rain.
do not confuse 'feed up' (to nourish) with the idiomatic 'be fed up with' (to be annoyed), which always uses the past participle.
Phrasal verb
Particles
up
Separability
optional
Pattern
feed (+ object) + up