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to eat

to eat

564 6.6
Gradually use up money or fuel
  • verb
  • /it/
translation icon : consumir
  • There are chemicals in this air that'll eat right through your skin.
  • eat away
  • moth-eaten

They wake up fire breathing Dragons, eating nails and spitting blood.

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Examples

  • Unprecedented population growth rates eat up potential increases in per-capita wealth throughout the region.

    Academic text (1992)
  • The new factory will eat through our budget if we don't manage expenses carefully.

  • We know that black holes eat things and grow.

  • A bigger black hole can eat more of its surrounding galaxy.

    Academic text (1996)
  • Lives in the dirt and it's going to eat decaying matter.

  • The constant repairs on the old car are starting to eat into my savings.

  • Her excessive spending habits will eventually eat away at her financial stability.

Synonyms

to wipe out
vsto eat
189 4.2

Destroy something so nothing is left

usually implies total destruction rather than slow, progressive loss
to consume
vsto eat
172 3.2

To use up resources until none are left

also covers slow material damage rather than only spending resources
to use up
vsto eat
69 2.7

To finish all of something so nothing is left

is broader, also includes slow gradual damage rather than total emptying
to exhaust
vsto eat
68 3.7

To use up all of a supply or resource

tends toward total depletion rather than slower gradual damage
to devour
vsto eat
53 3.9

To destroy or use up things quickly, for example when fire burns a building

is more neutral, also meaning gradual wearing or using over time
to expend
vsto eat
50 5.0

To use money, time, or energy for a purpose

is broader, also meaning slow damaging loss not only purposeful spending
to eat away at
vsto eat
  • Informal
25 4.4

To damage something slowly over time, for example a building or a person's confidence

focuses more on using up supplies as well as gradual harm
to eat up
vsto eat
  • Informal
23 3.1

Use up money or time quickly

can also describe slow destruction rather than quick, complete use
to corrode
vsto eat
22 5.6

Become slowly damaged by chemicals, for example when metal turns to rust

is more general, not limited to chemical processes in its gradual harm
to gobble up
vsto eat
  • Informal
19 3.0

To eat something quickly and eagerly

tends to be less eager and can mean slow destruction
to run through
vsto eat
16 4.4

Use up money or supplies quickly and wastefully

may instead mean gradual decay or nonwasteful consumption
to deplete
vsto eat
13 6.3

To use up almost all of something so little is left

may mean gradual destruction rather than just reducing quantity
to eat away
vsto eat
7 4.5

Slowly wears away rock and soil by wind or water

is broader, also covering consumption of supplies, not only erosion
to chew up
vsto eat
2 4.6

To use up resources like time or data very quickly

is broader, also covering slow damage not only quick waste
to eat out of house and home
vsto eat
  • Informal
7.5

To eat so much at someone's home that they have almost no food left

often lacks the idiomatic sense of excessive, sometimes unintentional consumption

Antonyms

496 3.4

To keep people and things safe from harm or change

63 3.4

Protect something from harm or waste by using it carefully

Idioms

to eat shit
  • Offensive
8 9.9

Tell someone in a rude way to go away or warn they will be badly embarrassed

5 3.9

So pretty it looks like you could eat it

to eat like a pig
  • Offensive
5 7.8

To eat in a very messy and greedy way

Defeat someone easily without much effort

to eat crow
  • Informal
4 8.9

To admit you were wrong and feel embarrassed

3 4.9

To eat a very large amount of food

to eat dirt
  • Informal
2 8.9

To admit you are wrong and accept feeling ashamed, often unwillingly

1 8.4

Beat someone easily to show you are much better

1 9.9

Avoid mixing your personal life with your work life because it causes problems

1 6.0

To eat only a very small amount of food

to eat their own
  • Literature
1 9.5

To turn against people in your own group

eat my shorts
  • Offensive
1 9.9

Tell someone you strongly refuse or do not believe them as a joke

1 8.6

To feel very jealous or sad because someone else has what you want

1 7.9

To admit you are wrong and feel embarrassed

to eat lead
  • Offensive
1 9.9

To be shot at with bullets

to eat their young
  • Literature
1 9.9

To harm or betray people in your own group to help yourself

1 9.9

To cause trouble by acting badly where you work or live

to eat my lunch
  • Informal
1 9.0

To beat someone and gain an advantage over them in competition

1 8.6

To eat food to feel better when you are sad or stressed

Use a company's own products to show they work and learn from them

1 8.2

Enjoy something a lot, like a show or tasty food

1 8.6

To beat someone in business by taking their customers and sales

8.3

Very hungry and wanting to eat a lot

To finish a very large task by doing small easy steps

9.9

To say as a joke that you will kill yourself because you feel very frustrated

to eat one's hat
  • Informal
9.1

To say you are very sure something will not happen and would do something silly if it did

to eat his gun
  • Offensive
9.9

To say you want to kill yourself to show you feel very desperate, often offensive

Use saved resources now in a way that harms future success

6.6

To admit you were wrong and take back what you said

To eat so much at someone's home that they have almost no food left

to eat Wheaties
  • Informal
9.9

To feel full of energy and ready to do a big task

7.4

To be left far behind by someone in a race or game

To speak angrily to someone and criticize them

to eat the mic
  • Informal
8.9

To speak or sing into a microphone with strong confidence and energy to make the audience pay attention

to eat the onion
  • Informal
9.6

To face a difficult or unpleasant problem without avoiding it

eat the rich
  • Informal
9.8

A chant people use to protest the rich and call for sharing wealth, often in a joking way

A floor so clean you could eat from it

A joking phrase that shows old ideas about how men should act

Phrasal Verbs

35 1.3

To have a meal at a restaurant instead of at home

31 1.1

Have a meal at home instead of going to a restaurant

to eat away at
  • Informal
25 4.4

To damage something slowly over time, for example a building or a person's confidence

to eat up
  • Informal
23 3.1

Use up money or time quickly

To choose foods that keep your body healthy

17 4.1

Slowly damages metal, rock and someone's confidence by chemicals or steady pressure

16 1.0

Finish all the food on your plate

to eat at
  • Informal
14 7.1

Gradually make someone feel worse or less confident

7 4.5

Slowly wears away rock and soil by wind or water

6 4.9

So clean that you can eat from it without worrying about dirt or germs

To eat more food because you are pregnant and need to feed your baby too

5 2.8

Completely swallow something like land or light

2 6.8

To make someone feel more and more upset or angry inside

To betray or harm members of the same group, often during internal fighting

to eat on
  • Informal
9.1

To worry someone for a long time

Compounds

bite to eat
  • Informal
37 1.8

A small quick meal or snack

8 2.8

Food prepared in advance that you can eat without cooking

1 2.7

A low-cost meal from a restaurant, cafe, or food stall

How Damaging

to destroy
1.0
to eat
564 6.6
to erode
83 4.2
to damage
885 1.4
to mar
2 5.3

Surface Forms

eat infinitive
eating present participle
eats third person singular
ate past
eaten past participle

Etymology

Eat also took the simple idea of 'taking in' and became a way to say 'use up' or 'destroy slowly'. So we talk about a machine or project that 'eats' fuel or money because it quickly uses it up.