Heading
To be off one's feed, verb. phr. (common).—To have a distaste for food. [From the stable.]
1836. M. Scott, Cringle's Log, ch. ix. Shall I fill you a cup of coffee, Obed?. . . Why, man, you are off your feed.
1863. C. Reade, Hard Cash, ii., 218. No, doctor; I'm off my feed for once.
1881. Jas. Payn, Grape from a Thorn, ch. liii. I won't take a rasher this morning, thank you; nor yet any pigeon pie. I'm rather off my feed.
To feed the dummy or the dumb-glutton (q.v.), verb. phr. (venery).—To have connection. For synonyms, see Ride.
To feed the fishes, verb. phr. (common).—To be sea-sick; also to be drowned.
1884. Home Tidings, 22 Nov., p. 398. Although I fed myself shortly before arriving abreast of Eddystone, I fed the fish shortly afterwards.
To feed the press, verb. phr. (journalistic).—To send up copy slip by slip.
Feeder, subs. (common).—1. A
spoon; among thieves a silver
spoon. To nab a feeder = to
steal a spoon.
1785. Grose, Dict. Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1821. D. Haggart, Life, Glossary, s.v.
2. (university).—A tutor; crammer (q.v.); coach (q.v.).—(See Dr. Blimber's Mr. Feeder in Dombey and Son).
1766. O. Goldsmith, Vicar of Wakefield, chap. vii. (ed. 1827), p. 41. Mr. Thornhill came with a couple of friends, his chaplain and feeder.
1864. Glasgow Herald, 9 Nov. [Review of Hotten's Slang Dictionary.] Feeder is given here as 'old cant' for a spoon.
Feeding-bottle, subs. (colloquial).—The
paps. For synonyms, see
Dairy.
Feel, verb (venery).—To take
liberties with a woman. For
synonyms, see Firkytoodle.
Feel a Thing in One's Bones.—See
Bones.
Feele, subs. (common).—A girl or
daughter. For synonyms in the
former sense, see Titter. [Fr.,
fille; It., figlia.] Feeles =
mother and daughter.
Feeler, subs. (colloquial)—1. A
device or remark designed to
bring out the opinions of others.
1841. Tait's Mag., Sept. 'Political Register.' The Times is putting out feelers on the corn-law question.
1889. Pall Mall Gazette, 29 Nov., p. 6, col. 3. The efforts made to purchase the Halliwell-Phillips collection by private subscription in Birmingham, have (says the local Times) utterly failed. A feeler was sent out by the Free Libraries Committee.
2. (common).—The hand. For synonyms, see Bunch of fives and Daddle.
1877. Five Years' Penal Servitude, ch. iv., p. 259. I one day asked a man . . . if the hard work of prison did not spoil his hands for delicate manipulations. 'Oh, bless you, no!' he replied; . . . 'In a week or two a man can bring his hooks and feelers into full working trim again and no mistake.'
Feet. Making feet for children's
stockings, verb. phr.
(old).—Begetting or breeding
children.
Officer of feet, subs. phr. (old military).—An officer of infantry.—Grose [1785].
How's your poor feet? phr. (common).—A street catch
