Feedbag

/ˈfiːdbæɡ/ noun

Definition

A bag of food or grain placed over a horse's mouth so the animal can eat while working, or colloquially, food in general.

Etymology

From 'feed' plus 'bag,' a compound that emerged in the 19th century for the practical device used on farms and with working animals, later becoming slang for 'eating heavily.'

Kelly Says

The phrase 'put on the feedbag' became American slang for eating heartily, probably because horses wearing feedbags seemed to be dedicated to serious consumption—it's the kind of folk etymology that shows how practical farm terms became colorful figures of speech.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.