Transitive and Intransitive verbs: is 'eat' transitive in 'Don't eat much'?

Question

I do know the definition of transitive and intransitive verbs. But I have a doubt with respect to a specific example which is as follows:

Don't eat much.

I want to know whether in this sentence, the verb "eat" is transitive or intransitive. I have a doubt because "much" can be both a pronoun and an adverb. So, even without changing the meaning of the sentence, the verb "eat" can be interpreted as being a transitive verb, if "much" is assumed to be a pronoun, or alternatively if "much" is assumed to be an adverb, then "eat" becomes an intransitive verb. Or can "eat" be interpreted as being both transitive and intransitive in that one sentence?

Greybeard · Answer

To eat is ambitransitive.
"He sat down and ate"
"He sat down and ate his meal."
It is impossible to eat without eating something: an object can always be implied
There are hundreds of ambitransitive verbs in English, e.g. "I read [the book] for an hour" "He explained [the problem] and I understood [it]", etc.

I want to know whether in this sentence, the verb "eat" is transitive or intransitive. I have a doubt because "much" can be both a pronoun and an adverb.

Edit to add
Unfortunately, that question cannot be answered without more context. If you add context, someone will answer. As it stands, it looks much like the verb is transitive.

Transitive and Intransitive verbs: is 'eat' transitive in 'Don't eat much'?

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