Consume

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /kÉ™nˈsjuːm/
• US enPR: kÉ™n-soÍžom, IPA: /kÉ™nˈsuːm/

Origin

From Old French consumer, from Latin consumere.

Full definition of consume

Verb

1. (transitive) To use.The power plant consumes 30 tons of coal per hour.
2. (transitive) To eat.Baby birds consume their own weight in food each day.
3. (transitive) To completely occupy the thoughts or attention of.Desire consumed him.
4. (transitive) To destroy completely.The building was consumed by fire.
• ShakespeareIf he were putting to my house the brand
  That shall consume it.
• Bible, Matthew vi. 20Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth consume.
5. (intransitive, obsolete) To waste away slowly.
• ShakespeareTherefore, let Benedick, like cover'd fire,
  Consume away in sighs.
• 1899, Kate Chopin, The Awakening:He assured her the child was consuming at that moment in the next room.

Synonyms

• (use) burn (of energy), use, use up
• (eat) devour, eat, swallow
• (occupy) occupy, overcome, take over
• (destroy) annihilate, destroy, devastate, eliminate, obliterate, raze (of a building), wipe out

Derived terms

• consumer

Related terms

• consumption
• consumptive