n. [ OF. fourage, F. fourrage, fr. forre, fuerre, fodder, straw, F. feurre, fr. LL. foderum, fodrum, of German or Scand, origin; cf. OHG. fuotar, G. futter. See Fodder food, and cf. Foray. ] 1. The act of foraging; search for provisions, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

He [ the lion ] from forage will incline to play. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

One way a band select from forage drives
A herd of beeves, fair oxen and fair kine. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Mawhood completed his forage unmolested. Marshall. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Food of any kind for animals, especially for horses and cattle, as grass, pasture, hay, corn, oats. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

Forage cap. See under Cap. --
Forage master (Mil.), a person charged with providing forage and the means of transporting it. Farrow. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Foraged ; p. pr. & vb. n. Foraging ] To wander or rove in search of food; to collect food, esp. forage, for horses and cattle by feeding on or stripping the country; to ravage; to feed on spoil. [ 1913 Webster ]

His most mighty father on a hill
Stood smiling to behold his lion's whelp
Forage in blood of French nobility. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Foraging ant (Zool.), one of several species of ants of the genus Eciton, very abundant in tropical America, remarkable for marching in vast armies in search of food. --
Foraging cap, a forage cap. --
Foraging party, a party sent out after forage. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To strip of provisions; to supply with forage; as, to forage steeds. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who forages. [ 1913 Webster ]