Devour
Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words [1]
is a strengthened form of an old verb edo, from the root ed---, whence Lat., edo, Eng., "eat." The form ephagon, used as the 2nd aorist tense of this verb, is from the root phag---, "to eat up." It is translated "devour" in Hebrews 10:27; elsewhere, by the verb "to eat." See Eat.
kata, "down," intensive, and No. 1, signifies (a) "to consume by eating, to devour," said of birds, Matthew 13:4; Mark 4:4; Luke 8:5; of the Dragon, Revelation 12:4; of a prophet "eating" up a book, suggestive of spiritually "eating" and digesting its contents, Revelation 10:9 (cp. Ezekiel 2:8; 3:1-3; Jeremiah 15:16 ); (b) metaphorically, "to squander, to waste," Luke 15:30; "to consume" one's physical powers by emotion, John 2:17; "to devour" by forcible appropriation, as of widows' property, Matthew 23:14 (AV only); Mark 12:40; "to demand maintenance," as false apostles did to the church at Corinth, 2—Corinthians 11:20; "to exploit or prey on one another," Galatians 5:15 , where "bite ... devour ... consume" form a climax, the first two describing a process, the last the act of swallowing down; to "destroy" by fire, Revelation 11:5; 20:9 . See Eat.
from kata, "down," intensive, pino, "to drink," in 1—Peter 5:8 is translated "devour," of Satan's activities against believers. The meaning "to swallow" is found in Matthew 23:24; 1—Corinthians 15:54; 2—Corinthians 2:7; 5:4; Hebrews 11:29 , RV (for AV, "drowned"); Revelation 12:16 . See Swallow.
King James Dictionary [2]
Devour, L 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 .
In the morning, he shall devour the prey. Genesis 49 .
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 .
Famine and pestilence shall devour him. Ezekiel 7 .
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 .
5. To consume wealth and substance by fraud, oppression, or illegal exactions.
Ye devour widows houses. Matthew 23 .
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 .
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.
Webster's Dictionary [3]
(1): ( v. t.) To eat up with greediness; to consume ravenously; to feast upon like a wild beast or a glutton; to prey upon.
(2): ( v. t.) To seize upon and destroy or appropriate greedily, selfishly, or wantonly; to consume; to swallow up; to use up; to waste; to annihilate.
(3): ( v. t.) To enjoy with avidity; to appropriate or take in eagerly by the senses.
