Word Study
devour
OXFORD DICTIONARY
devour, v.tr.
1 eat hungrily or greedily.
2 (of fire etc.) engulf, destroy.
3 take in greedily with the eyes or ears (devoured book after book).
4 absorb the attention of (devoured by anxiety).
1 eat hungrily or greedily.
2 (of fire etc.) engulf, destroy.
3 take in greedily with the eyes or ears (devoured book after book).
4 absorb the attention of (devoured by anxiety).
Derivative
devourer n. devouringly adv.
Etymology
ME f. OF devorer f. L devorare (as DE-, vorare swallow)
THESAURUS
devour
absorb, adore, and sinker, annihilate, appreciate, bask in, batten, be a sucker, be pleased with, be taken in, bite, bolt, bolt down, bring to ruin, condemn, confound, consume, cram, damn, deal destruction, decimate, delight in, demolish, depredate, derive pleasure from, desecrate, desolate, despoil, destroy, devastate, dispatch, dispose of, dissipate, dissolve, down, drink, drink in, eat, eat up, engorge, engulf, enjoy, eradicate, exhaust, fall for, feast on, feed on, freak out on, get away with, get down, get high on, gloat over, glut, gluttonize, go for, gobble, gobble up, gorge, gormandize, groove on, gulp, gulp down, gut, gut with fire, guttle, guzzle, havoc, imbibe, incinerate, indulge in, ingest, ingurgitate, lap up, lay in ruins, lay waste, like, line, live to eat, love, luxuriate in, meal, nibble, obliterate, overcome, overwhelm, partake of, pig, pillage, polish off, put away, ravage, raven, rejoice in, relish, revel in, riot in, ruin, ruinate, sack, savor, shipwreck, smack the lips, spoliate, squander, stuff, surround, swallow, swallow anything, swallow hook, swallow up, swallow whole, swamp, swill, swill down, swim in, swing at, take, take down, take in, take pleasure in, take the bait, throw into disorder, tuck in, tumble for, unleash destruction, unleash the hurricane, upheave, use up, vandalize, vaporize, wallow in, waste, wipe out, wolf, wolf down, worshiping, wrack, wreak havoc, wreckROGET THESAURUS
devour
Gluttony
N gluttony, greed, avarice, greediness, voracity, epicurism, good living, high living, edacity, gulosity, crapulence, guttling, guzzling, pantophagy, good cheer, blow out, feast, gastronomy, batterie de cuisine, epicure, bon vivant, gourmand, glutton, cormorant, hog, belly god, Apicius, gastronome, gourmet, v, gormandize, gorge, overgorge, overeat oneself, engorge, eat one's fill, cram, stuff, guttle, guzzle, bolt, devour, gobble up, gulp, raven, eat out of house and home, have the stomach of an ostrich, play a good knife and fork, pamper, gluttonous, greedy, gormandizing, edacious, omnivorous, crapulent, swinish, avaricious, selfish, pampered, overfed, overgorged, jejunus raro stomachus vulgaria temnit.Destruction
VB be destroyed, perish, fall to the ground, tumble, topple, go to pieces, fall to pieces, break up, crumble to dust, go to the dogs, go to the wall, go to smash, go to shivers, go to wreck, go to pot, go to wrack and ruin, go by the board, go all to smash, be all over, be all up, be all with, totter to its fall, destroy, do away with, make away with, nullify, annual, sacrifice, demolish, tear up, overturn, overthrow, overwhelm, upset, subvert, put an end to, seal the doom of, do in, do for, dish, undo, break up, cut up, break down, cut down, pull down, mow down, blow down, beat down, suppress, quash, put down, do a job on, cut short, take off, blot out, dispel, dissipate, dissolve, consume, smash, crash, quell, squash, squelch, crumple up, shatter, shiver, batter to pieces, tear to pieces, crush to pieces, cut to pieces, shake to pieces, pull to pieces, pick to pieces, laniate, nip, tear to rags, tear to tatters, crush to atoms, knock to atoms, ruin, strike out, throw over, knock down over, fell, sink, swamp, scuttle, wreck, shipwreck, engulf, ingulf, submerge, lay in ashes, lay in ruins, sweep away, erase, wipe out, expunge, raze, level with the dust, level with the ground, waste, atomize, vaporize, deal destruction, desolate, devastate, lay waste, ravage gut, disorganize, dismantle, devour, swallow up, sap, mine, blast, bomb, blow to smithereens, drop the big one, confound, exterminate, extinguish, quench, annihilate, snuff out, put out, stamp out, trample out, lay in the dust, trample in the dust, prostrate, tread under foot, crush under foot, trample under foot, lay the ax to the root of, make short work of, make clean sweep of, make mincemeat of, cut up root and branch, chop into pieces, cut into ribbons, fling to the winds, scatter to the winds, throw overboard, strike at the root of, sap the foundations of, spring a mine, blow up, ravage with fire and sword, cast to the dogs, eradicate.Food
VB eat, feed, fare, devour, swallow, take, gulp, bolt, snap, fall to, despatch, dispatch, discuss, take down, get down, gulp down, lay in, tuck in, lick, pick, peck, gormandize, bite, champ, munch, cranch, craunch, crunch, chew, masticate, nibble, gnaw, mumble, live on, feed upon, batten upon, fatten upon, feast upon, browse, graze, crop, regale, carouse, eat heartily, do justice to, play a good knife and fork, banquet, break bread, break one's fast, breakfast, lunch, dine, take tea, sup, drink in, drink up, drink one's fill, quaff, sip, sup, suck, suck up, lap, swig, swill, chugalug, tipple, empty one's glass, drain the cup, toss off, toss one's glass, wash down, crack a bottle, wet one's whistle, purvey.For further exploring for "devour" in Webster Dictionary Online