eat it up

1. Literally, to eat something, especially to eat all of it. Often used as an imperative. I know lasagna isn't your favorite, kiddo, but if you want dessert, you've got to eat it up. Go on, eat it up. It will make you feel better. You have to eat it up, so you have some food in your stomach for your medicine.

2. To believe unquestioningly that something is true. I told them that I like this stupid school, and they totally ate it up—I guess I'm a pretty good actress. How could you believe that story Grace told you about the dog eating her homework? The students lie right to your face, and you just eat it up! Politicians make us the same old promises, we eat it up and vote them into office, and they proceed to do nothing for the length of their term!

3. To thoroughly enjoy something. When anyone showers the baby with love and affection, she just eats it up! Great job on the presentation—the board is going to eat it up. When the boss compliments him, he just eats it up—it's so gross.

eat up

1. To eat, especially to completely finish one's food. A noun or pronoun can be used between "eat" and "up." Often used as an imperative. Kim may be tiny, but she has a big appetite and will eat up anything you put in front of her. We've got to leave soon, kids, so eat up. Eat your vegetables up if you want to grow up strong.

2. To bite one excessively, as of insects. A noun or pronoun can be used between "eat" and "up." If you're outside at dusk, the mosquitos will eat you up. Look at all those marks on your legs! Wow, the greenhead flies sure ate you up on the beach. If you guys are going to sit out on the patio, light the citronella candle so the bugs don't eat you up.

3. To take or require a lot of some resource. A noun or pronoun can be used between "eat" and "up." I'm in a poor financial state because my hospital bills have eaten up so much of my money. Man, it takes forever to find food in this game, and then boss battles eat it all up in a matter of minutes! I don't think the company will survive because all the lawsuits have eaten up so much of our money.

4. To believe unquestioningly that something is true. A noun or pronoun can be used between "eat" and "up." I told them that I like this stupid school, and they totally ate it up—I guess I'm a pretty good actress. How could you believe that story Grace told you about the dog eating her homework? The students lie right to your face, and you just eat it up! Politicians make us the same old promises, we eat it up and vote them into office, and they proceed to do nothing for the length of their term!

5. To thoroughly enjoy something. A noun or pronoun can be used between "eat" and "up." The baby just eats up everyone's love and affection. Great job on the presentation—the board is going to eat it up. When the boss compliments him, he just eats it up—it's so gross.

6. To continually bother or worry someone. A noun or pronoun can be used between "eat" and "up." The precarious state of my finances has really begun to eat me up. I'm worried that your critical comments have begun to eat Tiffany up—she seems very subdued these days. It really eats me up when I know someone's mad at me.

7. To overwhelm or easily defeat one due to being more aggressive, powerful, etc. A noun or pronoun can be used between "eat" and "up." Our team isn't very good, and I'm worried that the competition at this level will eat us up. Lena is so meek, I worry about her moving to the city. City life could easily eat her up. The cutthroat world of politics has eaten many a man up.