feedbag
LowSpecialized/Informal
Definition
Meaning
A bag, usually of canvas or leather, filled with grain and fitted over a horse's head to allow it to eat.
A period of vigorous eating or consumption, often used metaphorically for humans. Also refers to the helmet-mounted bags used in modern endurance sports.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Core meaning is technical/equestrian. The metaphorical extension is primarily informal US English, often implying greed or intense consumption.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
UK English uses 'nosebag' as the standard term for the horse feeding device. 'Feedbag' is understood but less common. In US English, 'feedbag' is the standard term.
Connotations
UK: More likely to be seen as an Americanism. US: Neutral for the literal object; informal/humorous for the metaphorical 'put on the feedbag' (to eat heartily).
Frequency
The literal term is low frequency in both. The idiom 'put on the feedbag' is very low frequency and chiefly American.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] put on the feedbag[Subject] ate like [Pronoun] had a feedbag onVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “put on the feedbag (US, informal): to eat a large amount of food.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in equestrian supply or agricultural businesses.
Academic
Rare, may appear in historical or agricultural texts.
Everyday
Low; primarily used by those involved with horses. Metaphorical use is informal/jocular.
Technical
Standard term in US equestrian contexts.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
American English
- a feedbag mentality (informal, implying consumption without thought)
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The farmer has a feedbag for his horse.
- The horse is eating from the feedbag.
- After the long ride, he filled the feedbag with oats for the tired mare.
- In old western films, you often see a horse wearing a leather feedbag.
- The cyclists use modern feedbags attached to their handlebars to eat during the race.
- He joked that it was time to put on the feedbag as he sat down for the huge Thanksgiving dinner.
- The metaphorical use of 'feedbag' to describe corporate lobbying dinners highlights a culture of excessive consumption.
- Endurance riders have adapted the concept of the equine feedbag into a practical nutrition system for themselves.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a bag you FEED a horse from = FEEDBAG.
Conceptual Metaphor
EATING IS ANIMAL FEEDING (e.g., 'He put on the feedbag').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate as 'сумка для кормления' (a bag for the act of feeding). The core concept is a specific bag attached to the animal's head.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'feedbag' in UK English where 'nosebag' is more natural.
- Using the metaphorical idiom in formal contexts.
Practice
Quiz
In which variety of English is the idiom 'put on the feedbag' most likely to be used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a single, closed compound word: feedbag.
No, it is a noun. The related verb is 'to feed'.
A feedbag is portable and attached to the animal. A manger is a stationary trough in a stable.
No, it is dated and informal, primarily found in older American humor or writing.