What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

What is the difference between consume and eat?

consume | eat |

Eat is a synonym of consume.



In transitive terms the difference between consume and eat

is that consume is to destroy completely while eat is to destroy, consume, or use up.

consume

English

Verb

(consum)
  • To use.
  • The power plant consumes 30 tons of coal per hour.
  • To eat.
  • Baby birds consume their own weight in food each day.
  • To completely occupy the thoughts or attention of.
  • Desire consumed him.
  • To destroy completely.
  • The building was consumed by fire.
  • * Shakespeare
  • If he were putting to my house the brand / That shall consume it.
  • * Bible, Matthew vi. 20
  • Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth consume .
  • (obsolete) To waste away slowly.
  • * Shakespeare
  • Therefore, let Benedick, like cover'd fire, / Consume away in sighs.
  • * 1899 , Kate Chopin, The Awakening :
  • He assured her the child was consuming at that moment in the next room.

    Synonyms

    * (use) burn (of energy ), use, use up * (eat) devour, eat, swallow * (occupy) occupy, overcome, take over * (destroy) annihilate, destroy, devastate, eliminate, obliterate, raze (of a building ), wipe out

    Derived terms

    * consumer

    eat

    English

    Verb

  • To ingest; to be ingested.
  • #(lb) To consume (something solid or semi-solid, usually food) by putting it into the mouth and swallowing it.
  • #:
  • #*
  • #*:At twilight in the summer there is never anybody to fear—man, woman, or cat—in the chambers and at that hour the mice come out. They do not eat' parchment or foolscap or red tape, but they ' eat the luncheon crumbs.
  • #*{{quote-book, year=1959, author=(Georgette Heyer), title=(The Unknown Ajax), chapter=1
  • , passage=But Richmond
  • #(senseid) To consume a meal.
  • #:
  • # To be eaten.
  • #:
  • To use up.
  • #(lb) To destroy, consume, or use up.
  • #:
  • #*(William Makepeace Thackeray) (1811-1863)
  • #*:His wretched estate is eaten up with mortgages.
  • # To damage, destroy, or fail to eject a removable part or an inserted object.
  • #:
  • #:
  • #*(Bruce Willis) in the movie (The Last Boy Scout)
  • #*:No! There's a problem with the cassette player. Don't press fast forward or it eats the tape!
  • # To consume money or (other instruents of value, such as a token) deposited or inserted by a user, while failing to either provide the intended product or service, or return the payment.
  • #:
  • #*From the movie
  • #*:Hey! This stupid [soda vending] machine ate my quarter.
  • To cause (someone) to worry.
  • :
  • To take the loss in a transaction.
  • :
  • *From the movie (Midnight Run)
  • *:I have to have him in court tomorrow, if he doesn't show up, I forfeit the bond and I have to eat the $300,000.
  • (lb) To corrode or erode.
  • :
  • To perform oral sex on someone.
  • :
  • Synonyms

    * (consume) consume, swallow; see also * (cause to worry) bother, disturb, worry * (eat a meal) dine, breakfast, chow down, feed one's face, have one's breakfast/lunch/dinner/supper/tea, lunch

    Derived terms

    * don't shit where you eat * eater * eat crow * eatery, eaterie * eat humble pie * eat in * eating * eat into * eat like a bird * eat like a horse * eat like a pig * eat my shorts * eat one's hat * eat one's Wheaties * eat one's words * eat out * eat pussy * eats * eat shit and die * eat someone alive * eat someone's lunch * eat up * eatworthy * pie-eater * you are what you eat * what's eating you?

    See also

    * drink * food * edible

    Statistics

    *