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3. swallow up

swallow up

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swallow someone or something up

 

1. Lit. to eat or gobble up someone or something. The fairy-tale wolf threatened to swallow the pig up in one bite. The wolf swallowed up the meat in one bite.

2. Fig. to engulf or contain something. The vast garage seemed to swallow the cars up. The huge sweater swallowed up the tiny child.

See also: swallow, up

swallow up somebody/something

also swallow somebody/something up

to take in or absorb someone or something The suburbs are swallowing up all the farmland and open space in the region. She walked down the street, and the crowd just swallowed her up.

See also: swallow, up