consume

con·sume

verb \kən-ˈsüm\

con·sumedcon·sum·ing

Definition of CONSUME

transitive verb

1

: to do away with completely : destroy <fire consumed several buildings>

2

a : to spend wastefully : squander

b : use up <writing consumed much of his time>

3

a : to eat or drink especially in great quantity <consumed several bags of pretzels>

b : to enjoy avidly : devour <mysteries, which she consumes for fun — E. R. Lipson>

4

: to engage fully : engross <consumed with curiosity>

5

: to utilize as a customer <consume goods and services>

intransitive verb

1

: to waste or burn away : perish

2

: to utilize economic goods

Examples of CONSUME

1. The new lights consume less electricity.
2. She's making an effort to live more simply and consume less.
3. Hundreds of books were consumed in the fire.

Origin of CONSUME

Middle English, from Middle French or Latin; Middle French consumer, from Latin consumere, from com- + sumere to take up, take, from sub- up + emere to take — more at sub-, redeem

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to CONSUME

Synonyms

devour, eat (up)

Antonyms

renew, replace

Related Words

gut; deplete, drain, exhaust, expend, spend, use up; annihilate, decimate, demolish, desolate, devastate, do in, pulverize, raze, ruin, shatter, smash, tear down, waste, wreck; annihilate, blot out, eradicate, exterminate, extinguish, extirpate, obliterate, remove, rub out, stamp (out), wipe out

Near Antonyms

conserve, preserve, protect, save; build, construct, erect, put up, raise

Rhymes with CONSUME

abloom, assume, backroom, ballroom, barroom, bathroom, bedroom, boardroom, bridegroom, broadloom, chat room, checkroom, classroom, clean room, cloakroom, coatroom, costume, courtroom, darkroom, dayroom, entomb, enwomb, exhume, foredoom, front room, great room, greenroom, guardroom, gun room, headroom, heirloom, homeroom, houseroom, illume, inhume, jibboom, Khartoum, legroom, legume, lunchroom, men's room, mudroom, mushroom, newsroom, perfume, playroom, poolroom, pressroom, presume, push broom, relume, restroom, resume, salesroom, schoolroom, Scotch broom, sea room, showroom, sickroom, simoom, squad room, stateroom, stockroom, storeroom, strong room, subsume, sunroom, taproom, Targum, tearoom, throne room, toolroom, wardroom, washroom, weight room, whisk broom, white room, workroom