hork down

Pronunciation

/hɔrk daʊn/ (American English)

Origin

Informal North American slang, likely derived from a combination of "hork" (to spit or vomit) and "down" (to consume quickly).

Meanings

1. (v.) To eat or drink something very quickly and greedily, often in large quantities.
2. (v.) To swallow food without properly chewing or savoring it.

Example Sentences

1. "He was so hungry that he horked down the entire pizza in just a few minutes."
2. "Don't hork down your food like that; you'll give yourself indigestion!"
3. "The competitive eater horked down dozens of hot dogs in record time."

Related Words

• Forms: horked down (past tense), horking down (present participle)
• Synonyms: scarf down, wolf down, gobble up, devour, inhale (food)

Memorization Trick

Think of "hork" as a combination of "hoover" (like a vacuum cleaner) and "pork" (a food). Imagine someone vacuuming up pork chops so quickly that they're practically inhaling them. This vivid image can help you remember the meaning of "hork down" as eating quickly and greedily.