What does the metaphor eat away?

"Eat away" is a metaphor that describes something that gradually destroys, weakens, or consumes something else. It often refers to:

* Physical deterioration: Like rust eating away at metal, or a disease eating away at a body.

* Emotional erosion: Stress, worry, or grief can eat away at your happiness or confidence.

* Financial depletion: Spending beyond your means can eat away at your savings.

* Social erosion: Discrimination or prejudice can eat away at the fabric of society.

The metaphor emphasizes a slow, insidious process of destruction, like a persistent gnawing that slowly undermines the whole.