ate away at

Verb

eat away at (third-person singular simple present eats away at, present participle eating away at, simple past ate away at, past participle eaten away at)

1. (transitive) To erode.
   • The river is eating away at the river bank.
2. (transitive) To consume or use up, erode or wear away gradually.
   • The expenses ate away at our profits.
3. (transitive) To cause to feel uneasy, troubled, worried, guilty, or vexed; to bother about something.
   • Not confessing that I had stolen the money ate away at me until I could no longer sleep.

   Synonyms:

   devour