\For"age\ (?; 48), 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.
         He [the lion] from forage will incline to play.
                                               --Shak.
         One way a band select from forage drives A herd of
         beeves, fair oxen and fair kine.      --Milton.
         Mawhood completed his forage unmolested. --Marshall.
2. Food of any kind for animals, especially for horses and
   cattle, as grass, pasture, hay, corn, oats. --Dryden.
{Forage cap}. See under {Cap}.
{Forage master} (Mil.), a person charged with providing
   forage and the means of transporting it. --Farrow.

\For"age\, 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.
      His most mighty father on a hill Stood smiling to
      behold his lion's whelp Forage in blood of French
      nobility.                                --Shak.
{Foraging ant} (Zo["o]l.), 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.

\For"age\, v. t.
To strip of provisions; to supply with forage; as, to forage
steeds. --Pope.