eat

这两个短语都表示“吃”,而前者指“吃(一部分)”,后者指“吃光”。例如:

The lion ate of the sheep.

狮子把那羊吃了(一部分)。

The lion ate up the sheep.

狮子把那羊全吃光了。

两者都有“在外吃饭”的意思。它们的区别在于:eat out通常只指在饭馆吃饭,不指在亲友家吃饭,而dine out可以指在饭馆吃饭,也可以指在亲友家吃饭。例如:

The single man was tired of instant noodle and ate out for a change.这个单身汉吃腻了方便面,于是下馆子换换口味。

Did you remember that we had dined out at the Smiths?你记得我们曾在史密斯家吃过饭吗?

这两个动词都有“进食”的意思。它们的区别在于:

1.用作及物动词时, eat的主语多为人,偶尔可为动物(拟人化),宾语为食物; feed的主语一定为人,宾语为动物或者是老弱病残者。例如:

We ate much the same thing for breakfast every day.每天早餐我们总是吃这些同样的东西。

The nurse is feeding the patient by means of a spoon.护士在用汤匙给病人喂饭。

2.用作不及物动词时, eat的主语可为人,也可为食物(这时主语含有被动意义); feed的主语则为动物。例如:

This kind of mushroom is eaten cooked.这种蘑菇是炒熟了吃的。

The horses were feeding quietly in the field.马群在田野里悄悄地吃着东西。

3.eat只接简单宾语, feed除接简单宾语外,还可接双宾语,而eat不能接双宾语。例如:

You may feed them anything you like.你喜欢喂它们什么就喂什么。