# feed up

CEFR C1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/feed-up
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to give someone a lot of good food so they become healthier or heavier.

For teachers: 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.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I am feed up with this rain." but "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.

## Usage notes

- 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.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.