| forage | 1. The act of foraging; search for provisions, etc. "He [the lion] from forage will incline to play." (Shak) "One way a band select from forage drives A herd of beeves, fair oxen and fair kine." (Milton) "Mawhood completed his forage unmolested." (Marshall) 2. Food of any kind for animals, especially for horses and cattle, as grass, pasture, hay, corn, oats. Forage cap. See Cap. Forage master, a person charged with providing forage and the means of transporting it. Origin: OF. Fourage, F. Fourrage, fr. Forre, fuerre, fodder, straw, F. Feurre, fr. LL. Foderum, fodrum, of German or Scand, origin; cf. OHG. Fuotar, G. Futter. See Fodder food, and cf. Foray. To strip of provisions; to supply with forage; as, to forage steeds. To wander or rove in search of food; to collect food, especially. Forage, for horses and cattle by feeding on or stripping the country; to ravage; to feed on spoil. "His most mighty father on a hill Stood smiling to behold his lion's whelp Forage in blood of French nobility. <entomology> Foraging ant, one of several species of ants of the genus Eciton, very abundant in tropical America, remarkable for marching in vast armies in search of food. Origin: Foraged; Foraging. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| forage fish | <marine biology> Fish species that as adults are small enough to be prey of larger species, often nongame fish. (03 Apr 1998) |