devour
verb /dɪˈvaʊə(r)/
/dɪˈvaʊər/
Verb Forms
Idioms | present simple I / you / we / they devour | /dɪˈvaʊə(r)/ /dɪˈvaʊər/ |
| he / she / it devours | /dɪˈvaʊəz/ /dɪˈvaʊərz/ |
| past simple devoured | /dɪˈvaʊəd/ /dɪˈvaʊərd/ |
| past participle devoured | /dɪˈvaʊəd/ /dɪˈvaʊərd/ |
| -ing form devouring | /dɪˈvaʊərɪŋ/ /dɪˈvaʊərɪŋ/ |
- devour something to eat all of something quickly, especially because you are very hungry synonym gobble
- He devoured half of his burger in one bite.
- The animal quickly devoured its prey.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- eagerly
- greedily
- hungrily
- …
- to read or look at something with great interest and enthusiasm
- She devoured everything she could lay her hands on: books, magazines and newspapers.
- His dark eyes devoured her beauty.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- eagerly
- greedily
- hungrily
- …
- devour somebody/something (formal) to destroy somebody/something synonym engulf
- Flames devoured the house.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- eagerly
- greedily
- hungrily
- …
Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French devorer, from Latin devorare, from de- ‘down’ + vorare ‘to swallow’.
Idioms
be devoured by something
- to be filled with a strong emotion that seems to control you
- She was devoured by envy and hatred.