eat out
phrasal verb·1 sense·particle out
Meanings
Have a meal at a restaurant
Why “out”? Someone leaves home to eat, meet people, or enjoy free time.
“Maya and Leo ate out at the shopping centre cafe during their shopping trip.”
“Maya ate out with a coworker at a small cafe for lunch.”
“Maya and Leo decided to eat out before going to the club.”
“Maya and Leo ate out at a small seaside restaurant near their hotel.”
Common mistake
Let's eat out in a restaurant tonight.
Let's eat out tonight.
Eat out already means at a restaurant, so in a restaurant is unnecessary.
Natural collocations
The word partners “eat out” most often appears with — learn the phrase, not just the verb.
Don't confuse with
Eat out means have a meal at a restaurant. Eat up means consume entirely.
Test yourself
“Maya and Leo ate out at the shopping centre cafe during their shopping trip.” What does it mean?
Nearby in the meaning map
Sink In connects verbs by particle pattern, contrast pairs, and shared base verbs.
eat up
A contrast learners often mix up
Consume entirely
ask out
Same out pattern: social out
Invite someone on a romantic date
get out
Same out pattern: social out
Leave a room, car or building; Become known publicly, often by accident; Leave home to meet people or enjoy free time; Manage to escape from a situation; Remove a stain or mark from something; Produce or manage to say words; Publish or release something to the public
go out
Same out pattern: social out
Leave to socialise or travel; Stop burning or producing light from a flame
hang out
Same out pattern: social out
Spend time in a relaxed way, often with friends
take out
Same out pattern: social out
Remove something from inside; Invite someone to go somewhere socially; Borrow from a library
eat away
Same base verb: eat
Gradually destroy something by erosion or worry
eat off
Same base verb: eat
Eat food directly from a particular surface
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