gobble
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /ɡˈɒbəl/
US
- /ˈɡɑbəl/
Description
- eat too fast
- swallow in big bites
- take in quickly
- make a turkey sound
Think of someone so hungry that they barely stop to chew. To gobble is to eat something very quickly and eagerly, often in big bites. It can also mean to take in something fast in a figurative way, as when people gobble up news, books, or new information. The word is also used for the deep, broken sound a turkey makes.
The word "gobble" has two main everyday uses. Most often, it means to eat very quickly and eagerly, usually in big bites and with little care. If someone gobbles down their lunch, they eat fast, often because they are very hungry or in a hurry. The word can suggest enjoyment, but it can also hint at bad manners or a lack of control.
It is also often used in a figurative way. People can gobble up a novel in one evening, readers can gobble up gossip online, and a large company can gobble up a smaller one. In these cases, the idea is still the same: something is being taken in quickly and eagerly.
There is another important meaning: a turkey gobbles. This is the name for the loud, throaty sound the bird makes. Because of that strong image, the eating sense of the word feels vivid and a little playful. Whether it describes a child finishing cookies, a reader racing through a story, or a turkey calling in a field, "gobble" usually gives a sense of speed, eagerness, and noise.
Examples
- 1
Children's meal
The boys gobbled their lunch and ran back outside to play.
- 2
Rushed meal
She was late, so she gobbled down her breakfast in two minutes.
Phrase
gobble down
eat very quickly
- 3
Ticket sales
Fans gobbled up the concert tickets as soon as they went on sale.
Phrase
gobble up
take or buy eagerly and quickly
- 4
Expenses
Rent and bills gobble up most of his salary each month.
Phrase
gobble up
use a large amount of something
- 5
Animal sound
We could hear a turkey gobbling behind the barn.
Meaning
gobble
make the sound a turkey makes
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- gobblenounverb
Forms
- gobbling-ing formverbnoun
- gobbledpast tenseverbnoun
- gobblespluralnounverb