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to eat like a pig

to eat like a pig

5 7.8
To eat in a very messy and greedy way
  • idiom
  • Offensive
translation icon : comer como un cerdo
  • He always eats like a pig at the buffet, piling his plate high with food.

Examples

Synonyms

to stuff
vsto eat like a pig
  • Informal
109 5.8

To eat a lot quickly until you feel too full

is more about messy or rude eating rather than only becoming overfull
to overeat
vsto eat like a pig
14 3.1

To eat more food than your body needs at one time

is about messy or greedy behaviour rather than health or quantity
to gorge
vsto eat like a pig
12 5.9

To eat a very large amount of food greedily

is more about messy or rude eating rather than only fullness
to pig out
vsto eat like a pig
  • Informal
7 7.5

Eat a very large amount of food without control

is about messy or greedy eating rather than just quantity
to pig
vsto eat like a pig
  • Informal
7 7.9

To eat a lot in a greedy way

is focused on messy or greedy behaviour rather than informality
to stuff one's face
vsto eat like a pig
  • Informal
3 8.2

To eat a lot of food very quickly

is about messy or greedy behaviour not only speed or quantity
to eat like a horse
vsto eat like a pig
  • Informal
3 4.9

To eat a very large amount of food

is about messy or greedy style not only large habitual quantity
to make a pig of oneself
vsto eat like a pig
  • Informal
1 7.6

To eat or drink too much

is about messy eating rather than only excess consumption
to engorge
vsto eat like a pig
1 7.7

To eat a lot of food quickly without control

focuses on messy or greedy style of eating rather than only fullness
to tuck away
vsto eat like a pig
  • UK
1 5.7

To eat a lot of food quickly while enjoying it

is more about messy or greedy eating rather than cheerful enthusiasm
to horg
vsto eat like a pig
  • Slang
9.9

To eat very quickly and without caring about manners

is similar but not necessarily rude about table manners
to pigging
vsto eat like a pig
  • Informal
7.7

Eating a lot and not leaving enough for others

is messy or greedy but not necessarily animalistic
to gluttonize
vsto eat like a pig
  • US
9.9

To eat too much food quickly and greedily

is messy or greedy but not always completely without restraint
to gormandize
vsto eat like a pig
  • Archaic
9.9

To eat a lot of food in a greedy way until you feel too full

is about messy or greedy eating rather than focusing on immodesty
to gourmandize
vsto eat like a pig
9.9

To eat too much in a greedy way

is about messy or greedy eating rather than general overindulgence
to englut
vsto eat like a pig
  • Archaic
9.9

To eat too much food in a greedy way

is more about messy eating rather than mere devouring
to shovel in
vsto eat like a pig
  • Informal
7.7

To eat a lot of food very fast without stopping

is about messy or greedy style rather than only eating fast
to scarf out
vsto eat like a pig
  • Informal
8.4

To eat a lot of food very quickly

is focused on messy or greedy behaviour rather than mere quick overeating
to garbage down
vsto eat like a pig
  • Informal
8.9

To eat a lot of food quickly and greedily

is about messy or rude eating rather than only rapid consumption
to fill one's face
vsto eat like a pig
  • UK
8.5

To eat a lot of food quickly

is also about messiness as well as greed not just lack of restraint

How Messy

to eat like a pig
  • Offensive
5 7.8
to gobble
16 2.6

Surface Forms

eat like a pig infinitive
eaten like a pig past participle
eating like a pig present participle
eats like a pig third person singular

Morphology

eat + like + a + pig

The phrase is a straightforward simile: combining 'eat' with 'like a pig' indicates manner of eating by comparison to the stereotypical behavior of a pig. This compositional pattern (verb + 'like' + animal) is cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows the parts will readily infer the meaning 'to eat messily or greedily.'

Etymology

Eat like a pig comes from the image of a pig that eats quickly and makes a mess on the farm. So, to say someone eats like a pig means they eat in a very 'messy' or 'greedy' way.