n.1 a nutritious substance, esp. solid in form, that can be taken into an animal or a plant to maintain life and growth.
2 ideas as a resource for or stimulus to mental work (food for thought).
Phrases and idioms:
food additive a substance added to food to enhance its colour, flavour, or presentation, or for any other non-nutritional purpose. food-chain Ecol. a series of organisms each dependent on the next for food. food poisoning illness due to bacteria or other toxins in food. food processor a machine for chopping and mixing food materials. food value the relative nourishing power of a food.
Etymology: OE foda f. Gmc: cf. FEED