De-vour', v. t.

verbtransitive

[imp. & p. p. DEVOURED; p. pr. & vb. n. DEVOURING.] [Fr. dévorer, Pr., Sp., & Pg. devorar, It. devorare, divorare, Lat. devorare, from de and vorare, to eat greedily, to swallow up.] 1. To eat up with greediness; to consume ravenously; to feast upon like a wild beast or a glutton; to prey upon. We will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him. Gen. xxxvii. 20. 2. To seize upon and destroy or appropriate greedily, selfishly, or wantonly; to consume; to use up; to waste. Famine and pestilence shall devour him. Ex. vii. 15. I waste my life and do my days devour. Spenser. 3. To enjoy with avidity. Longing they look, and gaping at the sight, Devour her o'er and o'er with vast delight. Dryden. Syn. — To consume; waste; destroy; annihilate.