verb
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to give too little food to
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to supply (a furnace, engine, etc) with fuel from beneath
noun
Other Word Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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has underfedperfect 3rd person singular
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am underfeedingprogressive 1st person singular
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have underfedperfect
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is underfeedingprogressive 3rd person singular
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have been underfeedingperfect progressive
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are underfeedingprogressive
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underfeedssingular 3rd person
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has been underfeedingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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underfeedingparticiple
Past
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had underfedperfect
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had been underfeedingperfect progressive
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was underfeedingprogressive singular
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were underfeedingprogressive plural
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underfedparticiple
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underfedsimple
Future
Etymology
Origin of underfeed
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But many farmers about here will overwork and underfeed all the week, and on Sunday talk about being 'merciful to their beasts.'
From Opening a Chestnut Burr by Roe, Edward Payson
She will overwork you, I'm afraid: I only hope she won't underfeed you.
From Lippincott's Magazine, Vol. 22, November, 1878 of Popular Literature and Science by Various
Those who take foods which are stimulants are very likely to overeat, and when they leave off their stimulants they are equally likely to underfeed themselves.
From The Healthy Life, Vol. V, Nos. 24-28 The Independent Health Magazine by Daniel, Charles William
A great many breeders underfeed their young stock to stop growth, which I believe to be a very grave mistake.
From The Boston Terrier and All About It A Practical, Scientific, and Up to Date Guide to the Breeding of the American Dog by Axtell, Edward
Under an unwise or indolent herder the sheep going on an unaccustomed trail will overtravel and underfeed, until in the midst of good pasture they starve upon their feet.
From Introduction to the Science of Sociology by Park, Robert Ezra
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
