spoon-feed en · VERB
Pronunciation
- /ˈspuːnfiːd/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˈspunˌfid/ (General-American)
- (US) audio
Etymology
From spoon + feed.
Meanings
- (intransitive) To help somebody (usually a baby or elder) to eat using a spoon; to feed using a spoon.
-
(transitive) To overly pamper or indulge (someone), so that they do not (or because they failed to) act or think for themselves.
I can help you with your homework, but you must understand the concept, because I will not spoon-feed you.
-
(transitive) To give (something) in an overly pampering way, so that the recipients do not (or because they failed to) act or think for themselves.
What do you mean "I don't know"? I'm practically spoon-feeding you the answer!
- (ambitransitive) To explain (something, to someone) in simple words; to explain (it, to them) in words of one syllable; to spell (it) out (for them).
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| spoon-fed | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| spoon-fed | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| spoonfeed | alternative | lexicographic | |
| spoon-feeds | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| spoon-feeding | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic |
Translations (29)
cmn 寵壞 /宠坏 (to overly pamper or indulge someone) · sv skedmata (to help somebody to eat using a spoon) · hu szájba rág (to deliver information in as basic a manner as possible) · ceb hungit (to help somebody to eat using a spoon) · ru растолко́вывать (to deliver information in as basic a manner as possible) · sv mata (to help somebody to eat using a spoon) · hu szájába rág (to deliver information in as basic a manner as possible) · cmn 用勺子餵 /用勺子喂 (to help somebody to eat using a spoon) · bcl hungit (to help somebody to eat using a spoon) · ru разжёвывать (to deliver information in as basic a manner as possible) · fi poispilata (to overly pamper or indulge someone) · pt mastigar (to deliver information in as basic a manner as possible) · ru корми́ть ложкой (to help somebody to eat using a spoon) · fi vääntää rautalangasta (to deliver information in as basic a manner as possible) · pt dar tudo mastigado (to overly pamper or indulge someone) · es masticar (to deliver information in as basic a manner as possible) · es dar de comer con cuchara (to help somebody to eat using a spoon) · cmn 溺愛 /溺爱 (to overly pamper or indulge someone) · ru ба́ловать (to overly pamper or indulge someone) · pt dar de comer com colher (to help somebody to eat using a spoon) · gv beagh lesh spein (to help somebody to eat using a spoon) · cmn 灌輸 /灌输 (to deliver information in as basic a manner as possible) · sv dalta (to deliver information in as basic a manner as possible) · fi syöttää lusikalla (to help somebody to eat using a spoon) · sv skedmata (to deliver information in as basic a manner as possible) · sv klema (to deliver information in as basic a manner as possible) · tl subo (to help somebody to eat using a spoon) · cmn 嬌慣 /娇惯 (to overly pamper or indulge someone) · ru не́жить (to overly pamper or indulge someone)