Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Feeder \Feed"er\, n.
   1. One who, or that which, gives food or supplies
      nourishment; steward.

            A couple of friends, his chaplain and feeder.
                                                  --Goldsmith.

   2. One who furnishes incentives; an encourager. ``The feeder
      of my riots.'' --Shak.

   3. One who eats or feeds; specifically, an animal to be fed
      or fattened.

            With eager feeding, food doth choke the feeder.
                                                  --Shak.

   4. One who fattens cattle for slaughter.

   5. A stream that flows into another body of water; a
      tributary; specifically (Hydraulic Engin.), a water course
      which supplies a canal or reservoir by gravitation or
      natural flow.

   6. A branch railroad, stage line, or the like; a side line
      which increases the business of the main line.

   7. (Mining)
      (a) A small lateral lode falling into the main lode or
          mineral vein. --Ure.
      (b) A strong discharge of gas from a fissure; a blower.
          --Raymond.

   8. (Mach.) An auxiliary part of a machine which supplies or
      leads along the material operated upon.

   9. (Steam Engine) A device for supplying steam boilers with
      water as needed.

Source : WordNet®

feeder
     n 1: an animal being fattened or suitable for fattening
     2: someone who consumes food for nourishment [syn: {eater}]
     3: a branch that flows into the main stream [syn: {tributary},
        {affluent}] [ant: {distributary}]
     4: a machine that automatically provides a supply of some
        material; "the feeder discharged feed into a trough for
        the livestock" [syn: {self-feeder}]