What it means
A proper British little all-rounder for saying something's excellent, spot on, or just really good. You can throw it at food, music, nights out, news, or a person who's seriously good at what they do. It's short, easy, and still sounds natural across the UK without feeling mouldy.
Usage examples
"That curry place round the corner is ace, mate. We went last night, smashed the naan, and I'm still thinking about it at work."
"That gig was absolutely ace, the band played for three hours and nobody wanted to go home."
"She's ace at fixing bikes, had my chain back on and the gears tuned in about five minutes."
"That little café by the station is ace, does a bacon butty that sorts your whole morning out."
"You fixed my phone in ten minutes? That's ace, cheers."
Where it comes from
It comes from ace, the highest card in many card games, which already carried that top-of-the-pack feel. By the early 20th century, English had pushed it beyond cards, using it for people who were first-rate and then for anything excellent, smart, or bang on.
Other ways to say it
Editors of this term
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