Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • transitive verb To feed (another) with a spoon.
  • transitive verb To treat (another) in a way that discourages independent thought or action, as by overindulgence.
  • transitive verb To provide (another) with knowledge or information in an oversimplified way.
  • transitive verb To provide (knowledge or information) in an oversimplified way.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb To help somebody (usually a baby) to eat using a spoon.
  • verb To overly pamper or indulge someone, so that they do not act or think for themselves.
  • verb To deliver information in as basic a manner as possible.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

spoon + feed.

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Examples

  • They don't need me to spoon-feed them and I have no problem becoming more passive and let events come to pass without further comment from here.

    Safety in Michoacan 2009

  • As such, I appreciate that the film didn't spoon-feed the basics, which allows it to concentrate on its sometimes wonky subject matter.

    Scott Mendelson: Review: Moneyball Scott Mendelson 2011

  • Eve Sussman says, the fact that you could have that reading is also really interesting - I never spoon-feed the audience everything - it's not TV, people can develop their own readings of it, even if you have watched it out of order, it still works.

    Spread ArtCulture: Interview: Eve Sussman - on the making of her film, Rape of the Sabine Women Spread ArtCulture 2010

  • They don't need me to spoon-feed them and I have no problem becoming more passive and let events come to pass without further comment from here.

    Safety in Michoacan 2009

  • Eve Sussman says, the fact that you could have that reading is also really interesting - I never spoon-feed the audience everything - it's not TV, people can develop their own readings of it, even if you have watched it out of order, it still works.

    Spread ArtCulture: Interview: Eve Sussman - on the making of her film, Rape of the Sabine Women Spread ArtCulture 2010

  • They don't need me to spoon-feed them and I have no problem becoming more passive and let events come to pass without further comment from here.

    Safety in Michoacan 2009

  • They don't need me to spoon-feed them and I have no problem becoming more passive and let events come to pass without further comment from here.

    Safety in Michoacan 2009

  • They don't need me to spoon-feed them and I have no problem becoming more passive and let events come to pass without further comment from here.

    Safety in Michoacan 2009

  • They don't need me to spoon-feed them and I have no problem becoming more passive and let events come to pass without further comment from here.

    Safety in Michoacan 2009

  • They don't need me to spoon-feed them and I have no problem becoming more passive and let events come to pass without further comment from here.

    Safety in Michoacan 2009

Comments

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