ENGLISH
REFERENCE

devour

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //dɪˈvaʊɝ// UK //dɪvˈaʊə// de·vour

v. to eat something very quickly because you are extremely hungry. You can also use it to describe reading a book or watching a show with great excitement.

v. to consume food hungrily or greedily; by extension, to enjoy a piece of media or information with intense enthusiasm. Transitive — requires a direct object.


SIMPLE

The hungry hikers devour their sandwiches in minutes.

CONTEXTUAL

She was so fascinated by the mystery novel that she managed to devour the entire book in one sitting.

COMPLEX

The wildfire continued to devour the dry brush, moving with a speed that outpaced the local fire department's ability to establish a containment line.

Synonyms
Origin

Inherited from Middle English devouren, from Old French devorer (Modern French dévorer), from Latin dēvorō, from vorō.

Usage

The verb is transitive and takes a direct object.

Idioms1 entry

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