eat to live, not live to eat - Wiktionary, the free dictionary (2024)

English[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Often attributed to Socrates and Benjamin Franklin.

Proverb[edit]

eat to live, not live to eat

  1. (medicine, imperative) It is best not to be gluttonous; eating shouldn't be one's favorite activity, but one should eat only to supply health.

Usage notes[edit]

Often used as an advice or imperative.

eat to live, not live to eat - Wiktionary, the free dictionary (2024)

FAQs

What does it mean to eat to live and not live to eat? ›

In other words, we need to eat to live. Our bodies cannot manufacture all the substances we need and therefore we must consume foods to produce energy and to provide the building blocks necessary to sustain life.

What is the proverb one should eat to live not live to eat? ›

'One must eat to live and not live to eat', is a famous quote from the well-known playwright, Molière's play, 'The Miser'. This proverb aims to communicate that one must eat as much as is needed to survive and not overeat.

What is the Old English word for eat? ›

From Middle English eten, from Old English etan (“to eat”), from Proto-West Germanic *etan, from Proto-Germanic *etaną (“to eat”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁édti, from *h₁ed- (“to eat”).

What figure of speech is one should eat to live not live to eat? ›

Chiasmus. A verbal pattern in which the second half of an expression is balanced against the first but with the parts reversed. Example: The famous chef said people should live to eat, not eat to live.

Who coined the phrase eat to live not live to eat? ›

Popular quote "Eat to live, not live to eat" is commonly attributed to Socrates. A quotation from Rhetorica ad Herennium IV. 28 : "Esse oportet ut vivas; non vivere ut edas" ("It is necessary to eat in order to live, not to live in order to eat") is credited by the Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs to Cicero.

What should I eat to live, not live to eat? ›

Conclusions on how to eat to live not live to eat

Keeping basic rules such as consuming little portions, avoiding eating on the go, and planning your meal will gradually produce great results. Enjoying healthy food and staying active will help remain concentrated and happy.

What is the old word for breakfast? ›

Breakfast , the origin of the word is given here : mid-15th century , from break (v.) + fast (n.). An Old English word for it was undernmete (see undern), also morgenmete "morning meal.".

What were meals called in the 1800s? ›

The main meal in the 1800s, however, was not the large evening meal that is familiar to us today. Rather, it was a meal called dinner, enjoyed in the early afternoon. Supper was a smaller meal eaten in the evening.

What is the old name for dinner? ›

North America. The distinction between dinner and supper was common in North American farming communities into the 20th century, especially in the Midwest and the American South, though today, most Americans consider the two synonyms and strongly prefer the term dinner for the evening meal.

Who said you eat to live, not live to eat? ›

Quote by Benjamin Franklin: “Eat to live, don't live to eat.”

What is the paragraph eat to live not live to eat? ›

Explanation: One should eat to live, not live to eat. The primary purpose of eating is to live and lead a healthy life by nourishing one's body with a healthy diet, water and fruits. Through eating food, one can supply his/her body with the required nutrients to enable growth and maintenance of the body.

What is the passive voice of we eat to live? ›

It is eaten by us to live.

What does eat to live and not to eat mean? ›

Eating to live involves treating food like it is fuel for the body, Hilliard says. Often, the inverse "live to eat" approach signals that a disproportionate amount of pleasure becomes vested chiefly or exclusively in the eating experience itself, which Hilliard says typically gives way to unhealthy choices.

Who said you eat to live not live to eat? ›

Quote by Benjamin Franklin: “Eat to live, don't live to eat.”

What is the meaning of "we eat to live"? ›

When you eat to live, you mean that you eat because your body needs food, and not because you are pursuing the experience of eating. You eat when you need to, as much as you need to, but no more. If your food isn't exciting to eat, that is okay.

What does eat to live not live to eat expand the idea? ›

Answer. - The proverb "One should eat to live, not live to eat" emphasizes the idea that food should serve the purpose of sustaining life rather than being the primary focus or pleasure in life.

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