gobble up
Definition
Verb (transitive) 1. To eat something very quickly and eagerly, often in large amounts. - This describes consuming food rapidly and with gusto, usually because one is very hungry or finds the food particularly appealing. 2. To use or consume something very quickly and completely. - This figurative meaning extends to rapidly depleting or acquiring resources, time, money, or other non-food items.
Usage
The verb "gobble up" is used with a direct object (the thing being consumed). It often implies a sense of haste, enthusiasm, or voraciousness. It can be used in both literal (food) and figurative contexts.
Examples
- Literal (Food):
- After the marathon, he gobbled up a huge plate of pasta.
- The kids gobbled up the cookies as soon as they came out of the oven.
- Figurative:
- My new car gobbles up gasoline. (It consumes fuel quickly.)
- The big corporation gobbled up several smaller competitors. (It acquired them rapidly.)
- This project is gobbling up all my free time. (It is consuming my time.)
Advanced Usage
- "to be gobbled up": To be consumed or acquired quickly.
- All the tickets for the concert were gobbled up in minutes.
- The phrase often carries a slightly negative or critical connotation in figurative use, suggesting wastefulness or aggressive consumption.
Variants and Related Words
- Gobble down: A near-identical synonym, especially for the literal meaning of eating.
- She gobbled down her breakfast and ran out the door.
- Devour: A more formal synonym meaning to eat hungrily or consume destructively.
- Wolf down: Another informal synonym for eating very quickly.
Synonyms
- Consume quickly
- Devour
- Wolf down
- Inhale (informal, for food)
- Use up
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Gobble down: As noted above, this is essentially interchangeable with "gobble up" when referring to eating.
- He gobbled down his lunch in five minutes.
Related Idioms
- To have a hollow leg: (Informal) Said of someone who can eat a lot without getting full, often someone who "gobbles up" food.
- Where does he put it all? He must have a hollow leg.
Verb
-
eat a large amount of food quickly
-
The children gobbled down most of the birthday cake
-
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