Meaning of eat In English

• 0 to put or take food into the mouth, chew it (= crush it with the teeth), and swallow it:

  • Do you eat meat?

  • When I've got a cold, I don't feel like eating.

  • We usually eat (= have a meal) at about seven o'clock.

• 1 to put food into the mouth, chew it, and swallow it:

  • [ T ] He ate a hamburger for lunch.

  • [ I ] When I’ve got a cold, I don’t feel like eating.

  • [ I ] We usually eat (= have a meal) at about 7 p.m.

  • [ I ] Let’s eat in/out (= have a meal at home/at a restaurant) tonight.

• 2 to damage or destroy something:

  • [ I always + adv/prep ] Running water had gradually eaten into the rock, forming a channel.