DEVOUR, verb transitive [Latin , to eat.]

1. To eat up; to eat with greediness; to eat ravenously, as a beast of prey, or as a hungry man.

We will say, some evil beast hath devoured him. Genesis 37:20.

In the morning, he shall devour the prey. Genesis 49:27.

2. To destroy; to consume with rapidity and violence.

I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, which shall devour the palaces of Ben-Hadad. Amos 1:4.

Famine and pestilence shall devour him. Ezekiel 7:15.

3. To destroy; to annihilate; to consume.

He seemed in swiftness to devour the way.

4. To waste; to consume; to spend in dissipation and riot.

As soon as this thy son had come, who hath devoured thy living with harlots. Luke 15:30.

5. To consume wealth and substance by fraud, oppression, or illegal exactions.

Ye devour widows houses. Matthew 23:14.

6. To destroy spiritually; to ruin the soul.

Your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour 1 Peter 5:8.

7. To slay.

The sword shall devour the young lions. Nahum 2.

8. To enjoy with avidity.

Longing they look, and gaping at the sight, devour her oer and oer with vast delight.