From Middle English consumen, from Old French consumer, from Latin consumo, from con- + sūmō, from sub- + emō, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₁em-, possibly related to the root *nem- ("to take or give one's due").

• (RP, British) IPA: /kənˈsjuːm/
• (British) IPA: /kənˈʃuːm/
• (America) enPR: kən-so͞om, IPA: /kənˈsum/
• (Australia) IPA: /kənˈsjʉːm/

consume (consumes, present participle consuming; simple past and past participle consumed)

1. (transitive) To use up.

   The power plant consumes 30 tons of coal per hour.

2. (transitive) To eat.

   Baby birds consume their own weight in food each day.

3. (transitive) To completely occupy the thoughts or attention of.

   Desire consumed him.

4. (transitive) To destroy completely.

   The building was consumed by fire.

   • c. 1608–1609 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Coriolanus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act IV, scene vi]:

     If he were putting to my house the brand / That shall consume it.

5. (intransitive, obsolete) To waste away slowly.
   • 1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act III, scene i]:

     Therefore, let Benedick, like cover'd fire, / Consume away in sighs.

   • 1748, [Samuel Richardson], “Letter CDXLI”, in Clarissa. Or, The History of a Young Lady: […], volume (please specify |volume=I to VII), London: […] S[amuel] Richardson;  […], →OCLC ↗:

     But, sir, you see how weak I am. You must see that I have been consuming from day to day […] .

   • 1899, Kate Chopin, The Awakening:

     He assured her the child was consuming at that moment in the next room.

6. (economics, transitive, intransitive) To trade money for good or services as an individual.

   In a materialistic society, individuals are taught to consume, consume, consume.

   If you consume this product while in Japan, you may be subject to consumption tax.

7. (transitive) To absorb information, especially through the mass media.

   The Internet has changed the way we consume news.

• (use) burn (of energy), use, use up
• (eat) devour, eat, swallow
• (occupy) occupy, overcome, take over
• (destroy) annihilate, destroy, devastate, eliminate, obliterate, raze (of a building), wipe out

• consumption
• consumptive

• French: consommer
• German: verbrauchen
• Italian: consumare
• Portuguese: consumir
• Russian: потреблять

• French: consommer
• German: verzehren
• Italian: consumare
• Portuguese: consumir
• Russian: потреблять
• Spanish: consumir

• Russian: занима́ть

• French: consumer
• German: verzehren
• Italian: consumare, distruggere
• Portuguese: consumir
• Russian: поглоща́ть

• German: aufnehmen
• Italian: assorbire
• Russian: вбирать