Phrase guide

feed a cold, starve a fever

proverb · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

proverb

Meaning 1

Expressing the common belief that eating more will cure the common cold, and eating less will cure a fever.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

An old wives' tale that dates back to 1574 from the original "Fasting is a great remedie of fever."

Across languages

Translations

2 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • French: nourrir un rhume et affamer une fièvre — proverb expressing the belief that eating more cures a cold while eating less cures a fever
  • Japanese: 風邪には大食, 熱には絶食 (kaze ni wa taishoku, netsu ni wa zesshoku) — proverb expressing the belief that eating more cures a cold while eating less cures a fever