— devourer , n. — devouringly , adv. — devouringness , n.
/di vowr"/ , v.t.
1. to swallow or eat up hungrily, voraciously, or ravenously.
2. to consume destructively, recklessly, or wantonly: Fire devoured the old museum.
3. to engulf or swallow up.
4. to take in greedily with the senses or intellect: to devour the works of Freud.
5. to absorb or engross wholly: a mind devoured by fears.
[ 1275-1325; ME devouren devourer devorare to swallow down, equiv. to de- DE- + vorare to eat up ]