fatten

Related to fatten: fatten up

fatten (one) up with (something)

To cause one to gain weight or become fatter by feeding them something in particular. The noun or pronoun can also come after "up." A: "Wow, your mom made quite a feast!" B: "I know, she seems determined to fatten us up with all our favorite foods." We need to fatten up these scrawny little kittens with some solid food.
See also: fatten, up

fatten the kitty

In betting, to put more money into the pool (which is known as a "kitty"). Come on, guys, put in your money so we can fatten the kitty and get on with this hand!
See also: fatten, kitty

fatten up

To cause to gain weight or become fatter by feeding. A noun or pronoun can be used between "fatten" and "up." A: "Wow, your mom made quite a feast!" B: "I know, she seems determined to fatten us up." We need to fatten up these scrawny little kittens.
See also: fatten, up

fatten up on (something)

To gain weight or become fatter by eating something in particular. It seems like the dog is fattening up on that new food.
See also: fatten, on, up
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

fatten (someone or an animal) up (with something)

to use something to make someone or an animal fat. We will fatten the calf up with corn. I don't know why they keep fattening up their children with so much food.
See also: fatten, up

fatten up

 (on something)
1. Lit. to get fat by eating something, The cattle fattened up on the succulent grass. The bears have to fatten up on food before they hibernate for the winter.
2. Fig. to become prosperous because of something. The corporations fattened up on easy profits and low taxes. The directors of the company fattened up even during the recession when the workers were laid off.
See also: fatten, up
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • adapt (something) to (something)
  • adapt to
  • identify with
  • buy (yourself) time
  • buy time
  • involve with
  • involve with (someone or something)
  • involved with
  • back into
  • back into (someone or something)
References in periodicals archive
The caught tuna are transferred to cages in which they are fattened for six or seven months to meet Japanese market standards for ''sushi'' and ''sashimi,'' the report says.
Japanese demand drives expanding illegal tuna fishing, WWF warns
When the review of the study is complete Van Fatten says he will know what permits will be required and what Synfuel has to do to obtain them.
Synfuel acquires rail, port facility for plant
It is a pilot project of the Federal Govt launched in Fata to fatten Calves to increase meat production.
Federal Govt plans to establish Milk Processing Unit in Bajaur Agency
Their willingness to fatten up showed how different they were, how committed, in a world where everybody else wanted to slim down.
Fat suit chic: Moribund Hollywood visits morbidly obese America
This ban on the last four growth products used to fatten up livestock is the final step in the Commission's complete phase-out of non-veterinary antibiotics in feed.
EU BANS LAST GROWTH ANTIBIOTICS IN ANIMAL FEED
"With the money my son sends I buy a cow for US$200, fatten it, and then sell it for $400," Jaramillo says.
Cash machines
To quote the review of the hardcover in KLIATT, September 2003: This story, told as a novel in poetry, is based on the actual customs of some cultures in various parts of the world that have rituals during puberty to fatten girls up to ready them for marriage and childbirth.
Collins, Pat Lowery. The fattening hut
Spokesman Dewi Owen said the salt marshes never receive fertiliser or pesticide so conditions have to be perfect for the lambs to fatten.
Salt marsh lamb now on mail order
In animal studies, Newbold and others have shown that high-dose DES exposures during pregnancy produce small to normal-size offspring that tend to stay small as adults, whereas low-dose exposures produce normal-size offspring that tend to fatten as they age.
Origins of obesity
We would like to fatten a steer for our freezer but have a limited area to do so.
Tips on fattening out a steer. (The cow barn)
In fact, big is so cool that women are forking out thousands of pounds to fatten up their rear end.
Lindsay Fergus Column: NO BUTTS, JUST GIVE ME A LOPEZ
But the restaurant industry seems to be locked in a horse race to fatten up our bellies and our arteries.
LESS-THAN-PERFECT FOODS
The result is that, gram-for-gram, it takes less "grazing" land to fatten a bug than a cow.
Bug-a-licious
Longtime observers of the American space program may remember a time back in the mid-1980s when NASA used seats on its space shuttle missions to carry amateurs in an effort to fatten its budget--much like Russia did in accepting Tito's $20 million.
Tourists in space? *Nsync's Lance Bass wants to go up. One American already paid $20 million for a trip. But is space tourism a good idea? (opinion)
Liebman simply forgets that the best way to fatten cattle is to feed them excessive amounts of low-fat grain.
Defending "The Zone": where's the evidence?