eat (redirected from eaten)

dog eat dog

if a situation is dog eat dog, people will do anything to be successful, even if what they do harms other people. In showbusiness it's dog eat dog - one day you're a star, the next you've been replaced by younger talent.

See also: dog

dog-eat-dog

dog eat dog - if a situation is dog eat dog, people will do anything to be successful, even if what they do harms other people. It's a dog-eat-dog world out there so you've got to know who your real friends are.

eat someone alive

to criticize someone very angrily. If we get our facts wrong we'll be eaten alive by the press.

See also: alive

eat someone for breakfast

to speak angrily to someone, or to criticize someone. My boss would eat me for breakfast if I asked for more money.

See also: breakfast

eat humble pie (British, American & Australian, American)

to be forced to admit that you are wrong and to say you are sorry. The producers of the advert had to eat humble pie and apologize for misrepresenting the facts.

See also: pie

eat like a bird

to eat very little. We went out for a meal, but she ate like a bird and hardly said a word.

See also: bird, like

eat like a horse

if you eat like a horse, you always eat a lot of food. She eats like a horse, so I don't know how she manages to stay so thin.

See also: horse, like

eat like a pig (informal)

to eat a lot, or to eat noisily and unpleasantly. Christine is one of those lucky people who can eat like a pig and still stay thin.

See also: like, pig

eat someone out of house and home (humorous)

to eat most of the food that someone has in their house. The boys have only been back two days and they've already eaten me out of house and home.

See also: home, house

someone, eat your heart out! (humorous)

something that you say which means that you or someone you know can do something better than a person who is famous for doing that thing. I'm taking singing lessons. Celine Dion, eat your heart out!

See also: heart

have your cake and eat it (too)

to have or do two good things that it is usually impossible to have or do at the same time. He wants to have his cake and eat it. He wants the security of marriage and the excitement of affairs. You can't have your cake and eat it. If you want better local services, you have to pay more tax.

See also: cake

have to eat your words

to be forced to admit that something you said before was wrong. She told me I'd never be able to give up smoking, but she had to eat her words.

See also: word

I could eat a horse.

something that you say when you are very hungry. I've had nothing but a sandwich all day - I could eat a horse.

See also: could, horse

I'll eat my hat (old-fashioned)

if you say you will eat your hat if something happens or does not happen, you mean you will be very surprised if it happens or does not happen. If we can't beat a second-rate team like Sheffield, I'll eat my hat.

See also: hat, I'll

make someone eat their words

have to eat your words - to be forced to admit that something you said before was wrong. She made him eat his words about women not having the physical strength to become boxers.

See also: word

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a bite to eat

a small meal. You'll feel better once you've had a bite to eat.

Usage notes: often used with quick: I usually sleep late and just have a quick bite to eat when I get to work.

See also: bite

eat away at something

to reduce something by a little at a time. These bank fees eat away at my savings every month.

See also: away

eat crow

to publicly admit you were wrong about something. Charles had to eat crow and tell them they were right all along.

See also: crow

eat someone/something for breakfast

to deal with someone or something easily and completely. People say she eats her competitors for breakfast. He is a level-headed guy who eats pressure for breakfast.

See also: breakfast

eat your heart out

you should be sorry for the choices you have made. I thought I'd become famous, and I could say "Eat your heart out" to every girl I'd ever gone out with.

Usage notes: usually said as if it were an order, as in the example

See also: heart

eat it up

to enjoy something completely. She has the kind of cheery voice that adults might dislike but little kids just eat it up.

lap up something

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of eat something up (= to finish the food you have)

eat like a horse

to eat large amounts of food often. I eat like a horse, but I eat healthy food.

See also: horse, like

eat someone out of house and home

to eat a large amount of food in someone's home. The boys have only been back two days and they've already eaten me out of house and home.

See also: home, house

eat your words

to admit that what you said is wrong. I may eat my words, but I don't think Holly is going to be able to do this.

See also: word

eat you alive

1. to cause you to suffer. Without my own lawyer, the defendants' lawyers would have eaten me alive in court. The state income tax is just eating me alive, so I think I may move.

2. to bite you repeatedly. The only bad thing about camping by the river was the mosquitoes that ate us alive.

Usage notes: used only of insects, as in the example

See also: alive

eat you up

to spoil your life. The danger of a busy professional life is that it will eat you up.

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of eat something up (= to use something so there is little or nothing left)

have your cake and eat it too

to do or get two good things at the same time. I worked at home so I could raise my family and still earn money. It let me have my cake and eat it too.

See also: cake