consume

See also: consumé

English

Etymology

From Old French consumer, from Latin cōnsūmēre.

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /kənˈsjuːm/
  • (US) enPR: kən-so͞om, IPA(key): /kənˈsuːm/
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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 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.
    • 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.
  5. (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.
  6. (economics, transitive, intransitive) To trade money for good or services as an individual.
    In a materialistic society, individuals are taught to consume, consume, consume.
    If you consume this product while in Japan, you may be subject to consumption tax.
  7. (transitive) To absorb information, especially through the mass media.
    The Internet has changed the way we consume news.

Synonyms

Derived terms

Translations

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout#Translations.

Anagrams


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 () 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.
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