1.verb trans. Have as food; take into the mouth, masticate if necessary, and swallow (solid food; also fluid, e.g. soup, for which a spoon is used).
OE.
b.†fig. Submit to, accept meekly (an insult, an injury, etc.). LME–E17.
c. fig. Receive (esp. a stage performance) with vigorous enjoyment; acclaim. (Foll. by up.)
colloq. E20.
d. Perform fellatio or cunnilingus on (a person). US slang. E20.
J. M. Synge He eat the insides of a clock and died after.
D. Attenborough Some caterpillars have made themselves unpleasant to eat.
M. Amis They found out he was eating his diet and his normal food.
(c)
N. Mitford London society…simply ate Cedric up.