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Webster 1913 Edition

Consume

Con-sume′

(kŏn-sūm′)
,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Consumed
(kŏn-sūmd′)
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Consuming
.]
[L.
consumere
to take wholly or completely, to consume;
con-
+
sumere
to take;
sub
+
emere
to buy. See
Redeem
.]
To destroy, as by decomposition, dissipation, waste, or fire; to use up; to expend; to waste; to burn up; to eat up; to devour.
If he were putting to my house the brand
That shall
consume
it.
Shakespeare
Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth
consume
.
Matt. vi. 20 (Rev. Ver.).
Syn. – To destroy; swallow up; ingulf; absorb; waste; exhaust; spend; expend; squander; lavish; dissipate.

Con-sume′

(kŏn-sūm′)
,
Verb.
I.
To waste away slowly.
Therefore, let Benedick, like covered fire,
Consume
away in sighs.
Shakespeare

Webster 1828 Edition

Consume

CONSUME

,
Verb.
T.
[L., to take. So in English we say, it takes up time, that is, it consumes time.]
1.
To destroy, by separating the parts of a thing, by decomposition, as by fire, or eating, devouring, and annihilating the form of a substance. Fire consumes wood, coal, stubble; animals consume flesh and vegetables.
2.
To destroy by dissipating or by use; to expend; to waste; to squander; as, to consume an estate.
Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. James 4.
3.
To spend; to cause to pass away, as time; as, to consume the day in idleness.
Their days did he consume in vanity. Psalm 78.
4.
To cause to disappear; to waste slowly.
My flesh is consumed away. Job 38.
5.
To destroy; to bring to utter ruin; to exterminate.
Let me alone-- that I may consume them. Exodus 32.

CONSUME

,
Verb.
I.
To waste away slowly; to be exhausted.
Their flesh--their eyes--their tongue shall consume away. Zechariah 14.
The wicked shall perish--they shall consume. Psalm 37.

Definition 2024

consume

consume

See also: consumé

English

Verb

consume ‎(third-person singular simple present consumes, present participle consuming, simple past and past participle consumed)

  1. (transitive) To use up.
    The power plant consumes 30 tons of coal per hour.
  2. (transitive) To use (without using up).
  3. (transitive) To eat.
    Baby birds consume their own weight in food each day.
  4. (transitive) To completely occupy the thoughts or attention of.
    Desire consumed him.
  5. (transitive) To destroy completely.
    The building was consumed by fire.
    • Shakespeare
      If he were putting to my house the brand / That shall consume it.
    • Bible, Matthew vi. 20
      Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth consume.
  6. (intransitive, obsolete) To waste away slowly.
    • Shakespeare
      Therefore, 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

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

French

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /kɔ̃.sym/

Verb

consume

  1. first-person singular present indicative of consumer
  2. third-person singular present indicative of consumer
  3. first-person singular present subjunctive of consumer
  4. first-person singular present subjunctive of consumer
  5. second-person singular imperative of consumer

Anagrams

Galician

Verb

consume

  1. second-person singular imperative of consumir

Latin

Verb

cōnsūme

  1. second-person singular present active imperative of cōnsūmō

Portuguese

Verb

consume

  1. first-person singular present subjunctive of consumar
  2. third-person singular present subjunctive of consumar
  3. first-person singular imperative of consumar
  4. third-person singular imperative of consumar

Spanish

Verb

consume

  1. Informal second-person singular (tú) affirmative imperative form of consumir.
  2. Formal second-person singular (usted) present indicative form of consumir.
  3. Third-person singular (él, ella, also used with usted?) present indicative form of consumir.

Verb

consume

  1. Formal second-person singular (usted) imperative form of consumar.
  2. First-person singular (yo) present subjunctive form of consumar.
  3. Formal second-person singular (usted) present subjunctive form of consumar.
  4. Third-person singular (él, ella, also used with usted?) present subjunctive form of consumar.

Etymology

From Old French consumer, from Latin consumere.

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /kənˈsjuːm/
  • (US) enPR: kən-so͞om, IPA(key): /kənˈsuːm/

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