Expressions using the verb EAT
Hi there! Do you eat like a bird or like a horse? Find out the meanings of expressions using the verb EAT.
Eat in
If you eat in, you eat at home.
- I’m not feeling very well, could we please eat in tonight instead of going to that restaurant.
Eat out
If you eat out, you eat in restaurants and cafes.
- I don’t feel like cooking, what do you think about eating out?
Expressions using the verb EAT
Eat up
If you eat something up, then you eat all of it.
- If you eat up all the food on your plate, you may go out.
- Come on! Eat up your soup before it gets cold.
Eat out of someone’s hand
If you eat out of someone’s hand, you completely agree to do what they want.
- The new assistant is so scared and insecure; he does everything I say. I’ve got him eating out of my hand.
- You should promise children that you’ll take them to the zoo and buy them things and before you know it, they’ll be eating out of your hand.

Eat like a bird
To eat like a bird means to eat very small amounts of food.
- If you want to lose weight you should go on a sustainable diet not eat like a bird.
- No wonder you are so slim – you eat like a bird.
Eat like a horse
This idiom has the opposite meaning; it means to eat a lot.
- Of course you gained weight – you’re eating like a horse!
- I’m not sure it’ll do you good to eat like a horse. You should cut down your portions.
Expressions using the verb EAT
Eat your heart out
Use this expression to say that you do something better than a famous person.
- Look at my girlfriend dancing. Eat your heart out Madonna!
Eat humble pie
If you eat humble pie, you admit that you made a mistake.
- When she realised that she was wrong, Adriana ate humble pie and apologised.
- Even if you don’t like your superiors at work, you have to eat humble pie sometimes.
Expressions using the verb EAT
Dog-eat-dog
A dog-eat-dog situation is when people are ready and willing to harm others to succeed in something.
- It’s a dog-eat-dog world in politics and politicians will do anything to get votes.
- Unfortunately, we all live in a dog-eat-dog world.
Grab a bite to eat
If you grab a bite to eat, you eat some food which is quick and easy to get.
- I’m getting hungry. Let’s grab a bite to eat before the meeting.
- We’re in a hurry and we don’t have time to eat. We’ll grab a bite to eat in town later.


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Different Ways to Eat in English - My Lingua Academy · 25 Aug 2022 at 9:23 am
[…] Click here to learn different expressions using the verb EAT […]