Definition of eat
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: to take in through the mouth as food : ingest, chew, and swallow in turn
2a
: to destroy, consume, or waste by or as if by eating
expenses ate up the profits gadgets that eat up too much space
b
: to bear the expense of : take a loss on
the team was forced to eat the rest of his contract
3a
: to consume gradually : corrode
cars eaten away by rust
b
: to consume with vexation : bother
what's eating you now
4
: to enjoy eagerly or avidly : lap
—used with up it was an amazing performance and the crowd ate it up
5
usually vulgar
: to perform fellatio or cunnilingus on
—often used with out
1
: to take food or a meal
2
: to affect something by gradual destruction or consumption
—usually used with into, away, or at the loss was really eating at herthe controversy ate into his support
eat alive
eat one out of house and home
eat one's heart out
eat one's words
eat out of one's hand
eat someone's lunch
: to defeat, conquer, or overwhelm completely : crush
was eaten alive by the competition
: to consume more than one can easily provide or afford
1
: to grieve bitterly
2
: to be jealous
: to retract what one has said
: to accept the domination of another
: to deprive of profit, dominance, or success
eat
nounDefinition of eat (Entry 2 of 2)
: something to eat : food
—usually used in plural
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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Time Traveler for eat
The first known use of eat was before the 12th century
See more words from the same century