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Region: UK / US | Usage example: The guests ate us out of house and home last weekend.

Eat someone out of house and home

Meaning

Consume so much that one drains another's resources.

Usage

Used when hospitality becomes a burden.

Origin & History

Origins and dates here are approximate summaries. Many idioms have disputed or unknown origins, and not every date has been checked against a historical dictionary, so treat specific dates and stories as a starting point rather than a citation.

Used by Shakespeare in Henry IV, Part 2 (1597).

Used in English since the 16th century.

Related Idioms

Read someone the riot act

Scold someone severely to discourage bad behavior.

Give someone the cold shoulder

Ignore or snub someone intentionally.

Let someone off the hook

Release someone from responsibility.

More Idioms

Break the ice

To do or say something to relieve tension or get conversation going in a social situation.

Cut to the chase

Skip ahead to the most important or exciting part of something.

The ball is in your court

It is now your turn to take action or make a decision.

Throw in the towel

To concede defeat or admit a struggle isn't worth continuing.