1. (

• consumption ,
• ingestion ,
• intake ,
• uptake

) the process of taking food into the body through the mouth (as by eating) ;

2. (

• pulmonary_tuberculosis ,
• consumption ,
• phthisis ,
• wasting_disease ,
• white_plague

) involving the lungs with progressive wasting of the body ;

3. (

• consumption ,
• economic_consumption ,
• usance ,
• use ,
• use_of_goods_and_services

) (economics) the utilization of economic goods to satisfy needs or in manufacturing; "the consumption of energy has increased steadily" ;

4. (

• consumption ,
• using_up ,
• expenditure ,

) the act of consuming something ;