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gobble down

B1 informal separable transitive
In simple words

To eat something really fast without stopping, like you haven't eaten in days.

Literal meaning: To gobble (eat greedily) and send (food) down the throat.

Meanings

1 B1 informal

To eat food very quickly and greedily, often without pausing.

"The kids gobbled down their lunch in about three minutes and ran back outside to play."

Grammar: separable
Usage notes

Informal and slightly humorous. Often used to describe children or people eating in a hurry. The verb 'gobble' imitates the sound of greedy eating. 'Gobble down' and 'gobble up' are largely interchangeable for food, but 'gobble down' is slightly more focused on speed.

Commonly used with

food meal sandwich lunch dinner snack

Forms

Base
gobble down
I/you/we/they
3rd person
gobbles down
he/she/it
Past simple
gobbled down
yesterday
Past participle
gobbled down
have + pp
-ing form
gobbling down
continuous

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