misfeed

1 of 2

verb

mis·​feed ˌmis-ˈfēd 

misfed ˌmis-ˈfed  ; misfeeding

transitive + intransitive

: to feed wrongly

… pet owners who mishandle and misfeed the snakes …

—Elizabeth Weise

especially : to fail to properly feed (material, such as paper or ammunition) or be fed through a machine or mechanism

… printing problems caused many ballots to misfeed through the scanning machine.

—Charles Tomlinson

If it only misfeeds occasionally, it is probably an ammo problem …

—Hammond Satterfield

misfeed

2 of 2

noun

mis·​feed ˈmis-ˌfēd 

plural misfeeds

: a malfunction in which a material (such as paper or ammunition) fails to be fed properly through a mechanism

… a high-speed commercial scanner designed to reduce paper jams and misfeeds.

—Benjamin Jacobs

Misfeeds may also be the result or improperly sized ammunition being loaded.

—Robert E. Walker

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1877, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1886, in the meaning defined above