WordWeight : Weighing the Words

Pronunciation : Feed"er
Part of Speech : n.
Definition : 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. "The feeder of my riots." 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.)

Defn: An auxiliary part of a machine which supplies or leads along the material operated upon.

9. (Steam Engine)

Defn: A device for supplying steam boilers with water as needed.
Source : Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913