eat up

British  

verb

1. (also intr) to eat or consume entirely: often used as an exhortation to children

2. informal to listen to with enthusiasm or appreciation

   the audience ate up the speaker's every word

3. informal (often passive) to affect grossly

   she was eaten up by jealousy

4. informal to travel (a distance) quickly

   we just ate up the miles

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eat up Idioms  

1. Consume completely, as in No television until you eat up your dinner , or This quarter's expenses have eaten up all my spare cash . The literal use (first example) dates from the early 1500s, the figurative from the early 1600s.

2. Enjoy avidly, as in She simply eats up the publicity . [Late 1800s]

3. Believe unquestioningly, be gullible, as in He'll eat up whatever the broker tells him . [ Slang ; early 1900s]

4. Defeat completely, as in This new fighter just eats up every opponent . [ Slang ; c. 1830]

5. See eat out , def. 2.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

eat up

Gordon, who lives in California, says state and federal taxes could eat up roughly one-third of his long-term gains if he sells.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026

The logical thought: The Dodgers had found a healthy arm to eat up some innings until they could find someone better.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 22, 2026

Investors are paying close attention to huge initial public offerings expected this year, with questions about whether enthusiasm for the artificial-intelligence trade is strong enough to eat up the additional share supply.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 9, 2026

Deadline's Pete Hammond said the film "falls short of giving any new insights", but said Jaafar Jackson "dazzles" in a film that fans would "eat up".

From BBC ● Apr. 21, 2026

"I don't want to eat up your meal," I said when some one handed me a fork.

From "The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway

Related Words

• swallow