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Is there a word for messy eating?

English Language & Usage Asked by E.Groeg on November 30, 2020

In my language, we have a word (a verb) for messy eating. When someone is eating messily, like when they play with their food, eat carelessly, or mess up their plate by making it look unappetising and gross, we say they are "balboocheh" (verb). This word is similar "muddle", "jumble" or "garble", except these words I believe don’t really pertain "eating messily" (or perhaps they can be used so?).

In a sentence, the word should be used in this sense:

"Sara, stop [insert word]-ing your spaghetti. Eat properly!"

3 Answers

Ravage gets close, and there are examples of it being used in this way:

As long as you're not like ravaging your food and making a mess and being gross or something your good. (reddit)

Um, maybe you should try to eat slowly and respectfully instead of ravaging your food like a barbarian horde on PCP... (rpg.net)

I see that you have a fork there... Why? (Billy Idol lip curl)

I honestly dont know. I thought I’d be a little civil and use it but ended up just ravaging my food with my bare hands. (reddit)

Al looked at Paisley, who was ravaging the watermelon, gripping the U-shaped slice with both hands, pink juice running down his forearms. (Prince Edward: A Novel, Dennis McFarland)

Answered by DW256 on November 30, 2020

One verb that applies to the context of making a mess while eating is "slop". However it is specific to the act of letting food or liquid come out of a container in an untidy way (OALD).

  • Sara, stop slopping your spaghetti. Eat properly!

Two example from Google Books

One Hundred Non-royalty Radio Plays Tillie : Stop slopping that soup ! Stop it , I said ! Joe : I ' m awful hungry , dear . I ' ve had a hard day at the shop . We ' ve got to produce these days . Tillie : That ' s it . That ' s it ; you ' ve got to produce .

Baltimore: A Novel ... your finger out of the soup ! ' , ' Stop slopping your food ! ' , ' Wash your ears ! ' , ' Pick up your clothes ! ' ” “ Daddy , when are you going to come back and live with Mommy again ? ” Ann asked . Rick swallowed ,

"Fiddle" is a more general term, but not connoting especially the idea of a mess in the dish. "Fiddling" implies touching with the hands.

  • "Sara, stop fiddling with your spaghetti. Eat properly!"

Answered by LPH on November 30, 2020

How about twiddle? From Lexico:

twiddle: Twist, move, or fiddle with (something), typically in a purposeless or nervous way.

Your example:

"Sara, stop twiddling your spaghetti. Eat properly!"

Answered by Richard Kayser on November 30, 2020

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