eat (something) off

eat (something) off

To erode or wear something away. A very corrosive substance must have eaten off this part of the pipe. Don't use that harsh cleaner—it will eat a soft metal like this clean off. Over time, the saltwater has eaten limestone off all along the coastline.

See also: eat, off

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

eat something off (of) something

 and eat something off

to erode something off a larger part. (Of is usually retained before pronouns.) The acidic rain ate the finish off the steeple. The acid ate off the finish.

See also: eat, off

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.