Devour vs We'll have them for supper

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Devour

Top 2,000 (common)C1verb

We'll have them for supper

Top 2,000 (common)
 DevourWe'll have them for supper
Pronunciation🇬🇧 //dɪˈvaʊə//🇺🇸 //dɪˈvaʊɚ//🇬🇧 //wiːl hæv ðɛm fɔːr ˈsʌpə//🇺🇸 //wil hæv ðɛm fɔr ˈsʌpər//
MeaningTo eat something very eagerly or quickly.We will eat them for dinner.
ExampleThe children devoured the delicious pizza within minutes.We'll have them for supper after the meeting.
RegisterNeutralNeutral
How commonTop 2,000 (common)Top 2,000 (common)
CEFR levelC1-
Part of speechverb
Collocationsdevour a book, devour a meal, devour food, devour with delighthave dinner, have a meal, have guests, have food
Antonymsfast, nibble, snack-
Common mistakesConfusing with 'devote', which means to dedicate something., Using 'devour' with inanimate objects mistakenly., Overusing it instead of simpler words like 'eat' for casual contexts.Confused with different types of meals (e.g., dinner vs. supper)., Misunderstanding the subject ('them' could refer to anything)., Using 'have' inappropriately with non-food items.
Usage notesUse 'devour' when describing the act of eating with great enthusiasm or speed. It is often used in both literal and metaphorical contexts, such as in literature or when discussing a passion for books.Used in everyday conversation. 'Supper' may be more common in some regions, while 'dinner' is universally understood.

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We'll have them for supper

Frequently asked questions: Devour vs We'll have them for supper

What's the difference between Devour and We'll have them for supper?

Devour: To eat something very eagerly or quickly. We'll have them for supper: We will eat them for dinner.

Can you show an example of each?

Devour: The children devoured the delicious pizza within minutes. We'll have them for supper: We'll have them for supper after the meeting.

Can I use Devour and We'll have them for supper interchangeably?

Not always. Devour and We'll have them for supper are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.

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