See Also: consume(dictionary)
consume(dictionary)
Marginal propensity to consume(finance)

consume (iou)



consume verb. LME.
[(Partly through French consumer) from Latin consumere, formed as CON- + sumere take.]
I. verb trans.
a. Destroy by or like fire or (formerly) disease; cause to vanish (away), as by evaporation. LME.
b. fig. Engage the full attention or interest of (a person); engross. Chiefly as consumed ppl adjective (foll. by with, by), consuming ppl adjective. LME.
Scott Fitzgerald He was consumed with wonder at her presence. E. Caldwell His career..would be his consuming interest for many years. D. Caute I was consumed by a passion that I've recently been able to diagnose as ambition.
c. In optative form in angry imprecations: damn. Long dial. M18.
Occupy or waste (time, or a period of time). LME.
M. L. King Most of my early evenings were consumed in this fashion.
Spend (money or goods), esp. wastefully. LME.
Use so as to destroy; take up and exhaust; use up. E16.
A. MacLean The Morning Rose consumed a great deal of fuel.
Eat up, drink down; devour. L16.
J. Herriot I had consumed several whiskies.
II. verb intrans.
Waste away with disease or grief. LME-L17.
Decay, rot. E16.
Burn away (lit. & fig.). L16.
consumingly adverb so as to consume or be consumed; exceedingly: M16.