eat

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verb

Definition of EAT

1

to take in as food <having gone all day without food, we greedily ate the hamburgers>

Synonyms consume, ingest, partake (of), put away, put down, tuck (away or in)

Related Words digest, down, mouth (down), swallow; bolt, chow (down on), devour, glut (on), gobble (up or down), gorge, gulp, scoff, slop, snarf (down), swill, wolf; chew, gnaw (at or on), gum, lap, lick, nibble (on), nurse, pick (at); relish, savor (also savour), taste; banquet, dine, fare, feast, gormandize, pig out, regale; dispatch, polish off; breakfast, lunch, sup; munch, nosh, snack

2

to consume or wear away gradually <the pot's protective coating was eaten away by the acid>

Synonyms bite (at), corrode, erode, fret, gnaw, nibble

Related Words break down, break up, decompose, disintegrate, dissolve; decimate, destroy, devastate, ruin, waste, wreck

Near Antonyms freshen, recreate, refresh, refreshen, regenerate, rejuvenate, renew, restore, revitalize, revive

3

to take a meal <where's the best place to eat in this town?>

Synonyms eat, fare, feed, partake, refresh, victual

Related Words banquet, feast, repast; chow (down), dig in; glut, gorge, gormandize, overeat, overfeed, pig out; graze, nibble, nosh, pick, snack; board, mess, dine out; breakfast, lunch, sup; picnic

Near Antonyms diet, fast

4

to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts <it really eats me the way people go to national parks to enjoy nature—and then leave their litter behind>

Synonyms aggravate, annoy, bother, bug, burn (up), chafe, eat, exasperate, frost, gall, get, grate, gripe, hack (off), irk, itch, nark [British], nettle, peeve, persecute, pique, put out, rasp, rile, ruffle, spite, vex

Related Words hassle, heckle; nag; inflame (also enflame), provoke, rouse; badger, bait, bullyrag (also ballyrag), devil, hagride, harass, harry, pester, plague, tease; anger, antagonize, enrage, incense, infuriate, madden, rankle, roil; agitate, discomfort, discompose, disquiet, distress, exercise, freak (out), fret, perturb, undo, unhinge, unsettle, upset, worry; affront, insult, miff, offend, outrage

Near Antonyms appease, conciliate, mollify, oblige, pacify, placate, propitiate; delight, gladden, gratify, please, satisfy; assure, cheer, comfort, console, content, quiet, reassure, solace, soothe