drip-feed
|drip/feed|
/ˈdrɪpˌfiːd/
to supply slowly
Etymology
'drip-feed' originates from English combining the words 'drip' and 'feed', where 'drip' came from Old English 'dripian' meaning 'to fall in drops' and 'feed' came from Old English 'fēdan' meaning 'to give food or supply'.
'drip' and 'feed' remained in use through Middle English; the compound 'drip-feed' emerged in modern English (20th century), first used in literal senses and later extended figuratively to mean gradual supply.
Initially it referred to literally feeding or supplying by drops, but over time it evolved to the broader figurative meaning 'to supply slowly or in small amounts'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a small, gradual supply or release of something; an instance of giving something in small amounts.
The report was based on a drip-feed of leaked documents.
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Verb 1
to supply or give something slowly or in small amounts over time.
They drip-feed information to the media instead of releasing it all at once.
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Verb 2
in computing or publishing, to provide data, content, or updates incrementally over time rather than in a single bulk delivery.
The developer decided to drip-feed the new features during the beta period.
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Last updated: 2025/09/01 16:45