devour

Devour is a verb meaning to eat something quickly and eagerly, or to consume something completely and destructively. It can describe an animal’s rapid intake of food, a person finishing a meal with obvious hunger, or the thorough consumption of nonfood material such as resources, territory, or attention. The term often conveys speed, appetite, and intensity, and it can carry a violent or predatory connotation when applied to living beings or environments.

Etymology: Devour comes from Old French devorer, from Latin devorare 'to gulp down', from de- 'down' + vorare 'to eat'. The word appears in English in the 14th century and has retained its strong sense of consumption.

Usage notes: In literal use, devour implies more than simply eating; it suggests rapidity and thoroughness. In figurative uses, it may describe how one reads a book, how a fire consumes a building, or how a disease or disaster overwhelms a place. The term is stronger than synonyms such as eat or consume and can be used vividly in prose and reporting.

Examples: The lion devoured its prey. She devoured the novel in a single sitting. The flames devoured the forest before firefighters arrived.

See also: voracity, vorare, consumption, ravenous, devouring.