Looking up...
devour
/dɪˈvaʊər/
eat greedily or eagerly
The lion devoured its prey in minutes.
The lion ate its prey quickly and hungrily.
informal
To eat something very quickly and greedily
He devoured the pizza as if he hadn't eaten in days.
He ate the pizza very quickly and eagerly.
She devoured the book in one sitting.
She read the book very quickly and eagerly.
Can also be used metaphorically to describe consuming something (like information) eagerly.
Collocations
devour somethingeat something quickly and greedilydevour informationconsume information eagerly
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Metaphorical Use
The word 'devour' can be used metaphorically to describe consuming information or media quickly, not just food.
Gold Rule
Context Matters
Use 'devour' when describing eating with great speed or hunger, or when describing the eager consumption of something non-physical.
Word Origin
From Middle English devouren, from Old French devorer, from Latin devorare, from de- (intensifier) + vorare (to devour).
Usage Notes
Often used to describe eating with great speed or hunger, but can also be used metaphorically for consuming information or media quickly.
Word Breakdown
de-
intensifier
prefix-vor
to devour
root-are
verb suffix
suffixEnglish Dictionary