Synonyms: nourishment, cooking, provisions, fare More Synonyms of food
2. See also convenience food, fast food, health food, junk food, wholefood
3.
See be off your food
4.
See food for thought
food in British English
(fuːd)
noun
1.
any substance containing nutrients, such as carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, that can be ingested by a living organism and metabolized into energy and body tissue
▶ Related adjective: alimentary
2.
nourishment in more or less solid form as opposed to liquid form
food and drink
3.
anything that provides mental nourishment or stimulus
food for thought
Derived forms
foodless (ˈfoodless)
adjective
Word origin
Old English fōda; related to Old Frisian fōdia to nourish, feed, Old Norse fœthi, Gothic fōdeins food; see feed, fodder
food in American English
(fud)
noun
1.
any substance taken into and assimilated by a plant or animal to keep it alive and enable it to grow and repair tissue; nourishment; nutriment
2.
solid substances of this sort
see also drink
3.
a specified kind of food
4.
anything that nourishes or stimulates; whatever helps something to keep active, grow, etc.
food for thought
adjective
5.
of or relating to food
6.
used as food
SYNONYMY NOTE: food is the general term for all matter that is taken into the body for nourishment; , fare refers to the range of foods eaten by a particular organism or available at a particulartime and place [the fare of horses, a bill of fare]; victuals (see victual, n. 2) is a dialectal or colloquial word for human fare or diet; provisions (see provision, n. 2b), in this connection, refers to a stock of food assembled in advance [provisions for the hike]; ration refers to a fixed allowance or allotment of food [the weekly ration] and in the plural (rations) to food in general [how are the rations in this outfit?]
Word origin
ME fode < OE foda < IE pāt-, to feed, eat < base *pā-, to pasture cattle > L pastor, pabulum, pascere, to feed, panis, bread
More idioms containing
food
give someone food for thought
COBUILD Collocations
food
cheap food
hospital food
nutritious food
quality food
raw food
seasonal food
staple food
unhealthy food
vegetarian food
Examples of 'food' in a sentence
food
It means lower real incomes and will fuel inflation as imported food and energy prices rise.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The findings are food for thought for those making a new year resolution to diet.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
You can choose to eat loads of foods that will help you gain body fat.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Many of these businesses are in the food and drink sector.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
They found people post more about junk food and less about healthy grub if they live by lots of takeaway places.
The Sun (2016)
We all have to buy our own food.
The Sun (2012)
Why is he so obsessed with solid foods?
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The governor said higher food and energy prices would slow income growth.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The winner will enjoy the finals day with complimentary food and drink.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
You have to read the ingredients on processed food carefully.
The Sun (2015)
Using such foods they could eat fewer portions but get the same benefit.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Other studies have shown that eating in front of a mirror makes junk food taste less appealing.
The Sun (2016)
The chief culprits were energy and food.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Passengers with receipts for food and drink should be reimbursed.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
They chose their food carefully for optimum nutrition.
Siegel, Bernie S. (MD) Love, Medicine and Miracles (1990)
She may try to control the quantities and kinds of food her daughter eats.
Bloom, Carol & Gitter, Andrea (contributor) & Gutwill, Susan (contributor) & Kogel,Laura (contributor) & Zaphiropoulos, Lela (contributor) Eating Problems: A Feminist Psychoanalytic Treatment Model (1994)
Many live alone and tend to pay less attention to food.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
But at least he has food for thought over what can happen if you cash in on a prize asset.
The Sun (2009)
The bonus to buying frozen food from a small producer is that you can work out where it comes from.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Make sure you always have some emergency supplies of food with you in case you are away from home or the shops.
Vera Peiffer POSITIVELY FEARLESS: Breaking free of the fears that hold you back (2001)
It is thought the smell triggers images in the brain, which leaves less space for thoughts of food.
The Sun (2015)
Quotations
A cucumber should be well sliced, and dressed with pepper and vinegar, and then thrown out, as good for nothingSamuel Johnson
We lived for days on nothing but food and waterW.C. Fields
Food first, then moralityBertolt BrechtThe Threepenny Opera
Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you areAnthelme Brillat-SavarinPhysiologie du Gout
There is not one kind of food for all men. You must and you will feed those faculties which you exercise. The laborer whose body is weary does not require the same food with the scholar whose brain is wearyHenry David Thoreauletter to Harrison Blake
After a good dinner one can forgive anybody, even one's own relativesOscar Wilde
There is no love sincerer than the love of foodGeorge Bernard ShawMan and Superman
Sharing food with another human being is an intimate act that should not be indulged in lightlyM.F.K. FisherAn Alphabet for Gourmets
Stands the church clock at ten to three? And is there honey still for tea?Rupert BrookeGrantchester
Dinner at the Huntercombes' possessed only two dramatic features - the wine was a farce and the food a tragedyAnthony PowellThe Acceptance World
The healsome porritch, chief of Scotia's foodRobert BurnsThe Cotter's Saturday Night
Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face, Great chieftain o' the puddin'-race!Robert BurnsTo a Haggis
Doubtless God could have made a better berry, but doubtless God never didWilliam Butler (on the strawberry)
Mayonnaise: one of the sauces which serve the French in place of a state religionAmbrose BierceThe Devil's Dictionary
Milk's leap towards immortalityClifford Fadiman (of cheese)Any Number Can Play
Sauce: the one infallible sign of civilization and enlightenment. A people with no sauces has one thousand vices; a people with one sauce has only nine hundred and ninety-nine. For every sauce invented and accepted a vice is renounced and forgivenAmbrose BierceThe Devil's Dictionary
[If the people have no bread] let them eat cakeMarie-Antoinette
Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of GodBible: St. Matthew
Half a loaf is better than no bread
You cannot have your cake and eat it
What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander
An apple a day keeps the doctor away
In other languages
food
British English: food /fuːd/ NOUN
Food is what people and animals eat.
Enjoy your food.
American English: food
Arabic: طَعام
Brazilian Portuguese: comida
Chinese: 食物
Croatian: hrana
Czech: jídlo
Danish: mad
Dutch: eten
European Spanish: comida alimentos
Finnish: ruoka
French: nourriture
German: Nahrung
Greek: τροφή
Italian: cibo
Japanese: 食べ物
Korean: 식품
Norwegian: mat
Polish: żywność
European Portuguese: comida
Romanian: mâncare
Russian: пища
Latin American Spanish: comida
Swedish: mat
Thai: อาหาร
Turkish: yiyecek
Ukrainian: їжа
Vietnamese: thức ăn
All related terms of 'food'
baby food
food, as vegetables , fruits, or meat , puréed or minced for easy ingestion by infants
bar food
food served in a pub
bird food
a mixture of seeds, grains , nuts , etc, suitable for birds to eat
cat food
tinned food for cats
diet food
a type of food intended to help people slim
dog food
food for dogs
dude food
food such as hot dogs , burgers , etc, considered particularly appealing to men
fast food
Fast food is hot food, such as hamburgers and chips , that you obtain from particular types of restaurant, and which is served quickly after you order it.
food aid
food donated , either by a foreign government or by a charitable organization, to people in need , usually in developing countries
food bank
A food bank is a place where food and groceries are given free to people who need them.
food body
a mass of nutrients attached to a seed coat, which attracts ants and thus aids dispersal of the seed
food coma
the feeling of sleepiness experienced after eating certain types of food, esp carbohydrates
food crop
a crop , such as rice or wheat , that is grown for human consumption
food fish
any fish used primarily as a commercial source of food
food mile
a unit used to measure the distance that a food product travels from where it is produced to where it is sold or consumed
food mill
a hand-operated kitchen device for puréeing fruits and vegetables
food web
a combination of food chains that integrate to form a network
food wrap
a thin polythene material that clings closely to any surface around which it is placed, used for wrapping food
junk food
If you refer to food as junk food , you mean that it is quick and easy to prepare but is not good for your health .
non-food
Non-food items are those items that cannot be eaten but are commonly sold in food stores , such as cleaning products and toilet tissue.
pet food
food intended for pets
pub food
food served in a pub
raw food
Food is what people and animals eat.
skin food
a cosmetic cream for keeping the skin in good condition
slow food
food that has been prepared with care , using high-quality local and seasonal ingredients
soul food
Soul food is used to refer to the kind of food, for example corn bread , ham , and greens , that was popular with black Americans in the southern United States and is considered typical of them.
cheap food
Food is what people and animals eat.
finger food
food that may be picked up with the fingers , such as canapés or vol-au-vents
food chain
The food chain is a series of living things which are linked to each other because each thing feeds on the one next to it in the series.
food court
an area, as in an enclosed shopping center , with fast-food stalls surrounding tables and chairs for common use
food cycle
→ food web
food grain
any cereal grain produced for human consumption
food grains
the small hard seedlike fruits of a grass , esp a cereal plant, used as a foodstuff
food group
any of the categories into which different foods may be placed according to the type of nourishment they supply, such as carbohydrates or proteins
food intake
Your intake of a particular kind of food, drink, or air is the amount that you eat, drink, or breathe in.
food mixer
A food mixer is a piece of electrical equipment that is used to mix food such as cake mixture .
food outlet
An outlet is a shop or organization which sells the goods made by a particular manufacturer .
food parcel
parcels of food prepared and sent , esp by charitable organizations, to people in need
food pollen
infertile pollen produced by some plants that attracts insects and thus aids pollination
food prices
the prices that consumers are charged for food
food shares
investment shares in food companies
food stamp
In the United States , food stamps are official vouchers that are given to people with low incomes to be exchanged for food.
food truck
A truck is a large vehicle that is used to transport goods by road.
food value
The food value of a particular food is a measure of how good it is for you, based on its level of vitamins , minerals , or calories .
food waste
Waste is material which has been used and is no longer wanted , for example because the valuable or useful part of it has been taken out.
food writer
A writer is a person who writes books, stories , or articles as a job .
frozen food
food preserved by a freezing process and stored in a freezer before cooking
fusion food
food which is made using a style of cooking which combines traditional Western techniques and ingredients with those used in Eastern cuisine
health food
Health foods are natural foods without artificial ingredients which people buy because they consider them to be good for them.
any substance that can be taken into the body by a living organism and changed into energy and body tissue
Enjoy your food!
Synonyms
nourishment
He was unable to take nourishment for several days.
cooking
provisions
fare
traditional Portuguese fare
board
Free room and board are provided for all hotel staff.
commons
table (formal)
They always keep a marvellous table.
eats (slang)
stores
feed
diet
Watch your diet – you need plenty of fruit and vegetables.
meat
They gave meat and drink to the poor.
bread
I go to work, I put bread on the table, I pay the mortgage.
menu
tuck (informal)
The wags from the rival house were ready to snaffle his tuck.
tucker (Australian, New Zealand, informal)
rations
nutrition
There are alternative sources of nutrition to animal flesh.
cuisine
tack (informal)
refreshment
scoff (slang)
nibbles
grub (slang)
Get yourself some grub and come and sit down.
foodstuffs
subsistence
kai (New Zealand, informal)
I'm starving - let's have some kai.
larder
chow (informal)
sustenance
The state provided a basic quantity of food for daily sustenance.
nosh (slang)
It served delicious, authentic nosh
daily bread
victuals
edibles
comestibles
provender
It's excellent provender, skilfully prepared.
nosebag (slang)
pabulum (rare)
nutriment
vittles (obsolete, dialect)
viands
aliment
eatables (slang)
survival rations
F%D (textmessaging)
idiom
See food for thought
related words
related adjectivealimentary
related noungastronomy
related maniasitomania
related phobiasitophobia
see also subject word lists:
See ApplesSee Beans and other pulsesSee BiscuitsSee BreadsSee Cakes and pastriesSee CheesesSee Desserts and sweet dishesSee Herbs, spices and seasoningsSee Mushrooms and other edible fungiSee NutsSee PotatoesSee Rice and other cerealsSee SaucesSee Savoury dishesSee SeafoodSee Types and cuts of meatSee Types of currySee FruitsSee Types of mealSee Types of pastaSee Types of pastrySee Vegetables
subject word lists
See Savoury dishes
Quotations
A cucumber should be well sliced, and dressed with pepper and vinegar, and then thrown out, as good for nothing [Samuel Johnson]We lived for days on nothing but food and water [W.C. Fields]Food first, then morality [Bertolt Brecht – The Threepenny Opera]Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are [Anthelme Brillat-Savarin – Physiologie du Gout]There is not one kind of food for all men. You must and you will feed those faculties which you exercise. The laborer whose body is weary does not require the same food with the scholar whose brain is weary [Henry David Thoreau – letter to Harrison Blake]After a good dinner one can forgive anybody, even one's own relatives [Oscar Wilde]There is no love sincerer than the love of food [George Bernard Shaw – Man and Superman]Sharing food with another human being is an intimate act that should not be indulged in lightly [M.F.K. Fisher – An Alphabet for Gourmets]Stands the church clock at ten to three? And is there honey still for tea? [Rupert Brooke – Grantchester]Dinner at the Huntercombes' possessed only two dramatic features - the wine was a farce and the food a tragedy [Anthony Powell – The Acceptance World]The healsome porritch, chief of Scotia's food [Robert Burns – The Cotter's Saturday Night]Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face, Great chieftain o' the puddin'-race! [Robert Burns – To a Haggis]Doubtless God could have made a better berry, but doubtless God never did [William Butler (on the strawberry)]Mayonnaise: one of the sauces which serve the French in place of a state religion [Ambrose Bierce – The Devil's Dictionary]Milk's leap towards immortality [Clifford Fadiman (of cheese) – Any Number Can Play]Sauce: the one infallible sign of civilization and enlightenment. A people with no sauces has one thousand vices; a people with one sauce has only nine hundred and ninety-nine. For every sauce invented and accepted a vice is renounced and forgiven [Ambrose Bierce – The Devil's Dictionary][If the people have no bread] let them eat cake [Marie-Antoinette]Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God [Bible: St. Matthew]
proverbs
Half a loaf is better than no breadYou cannot have your cake and eat itWhat's sauce for the goose is sauce for the ganderAn apple a day keeps the doctor away
Seekai
Synonyms of 'food'
food
Explore 'food' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of tuck
Definition
food, esp. cakes and sweets
The wags from the rival house were ready to snaffle his tuck.