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

Higher gas prices will particularly squeeze lower- and middle-income Americans by eating up some of their extra cash.

From MarketWatch

Now those plans are on hold as her budget is eaten up buying petrol to power up generators to run her sewing machines after fuel prices jumped about 20 percent in Africa's most populous country.

From Barron's

Credit-card interest eats up a relatively small share of consumers’ wallets, according to the Consumer Bankers Association.

From MarketWatch

Now, in the clear, cold light, the Mountains ate up the sky.

From Literature

“Higher costs of energy will completely eat up that additional refund,” she said.

From MarketWatch

Related Words

• swallow