for·age / ˈfôrij; ˈfär-/ • v. [intr.] (of a person or animal) search widely for food or provisions: gulls are equipped by nature to forage for food. ∎  [tr.] obtain (food or provisions): a girl foraging grass for oxen. ∎  [tr.] obtain food or provisions from (a place): a man foraging a dumpster finds some celery. ∎  [tr.] archaic supply (an animal or person) with food.• n. 1. bulky food such as grass or hay for horses and cattle; fodder.2. [in sing.] a wide search over an area in order to obtain something, esp. food or provisions: the nightly forage produces things that can be sold.DERIVATIVES: for·ag·er n.

forage food for cattle. XIV. — (O)F. fourrage, f. feurre — Gmc. *fōðram FODDER; see -AGE.
So vb. XV.