Street voices
Janna
·
United States
"ate, spelt a-t-e, you know, like to eat, is when you cook up something and it's a really good output, whether it be like an outfit, a makeup look, hair, or you just look really, really good that day, or you've made, you've had, it doesn't have to do with looks only, you did an accomplishment, had a milestone, just something really good, means you ate. An example would be, oh my god, I love your prom dress, you really ate in blue."
What it means
When someone ate, they absolutely nailed it, delivered a look or a performance so flawless there is nothing left to criticise. Often stretched to she ate and left no crumbs as the highest praise you can give.
Usage examples
"Did you see her solo? She ate and left no crumbs."
"That outfit is perfect, you ate with this one."
"She walked in, took one selfie, and ate the whole night up."
"That verse was nasty in the best way, he ate."
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Where it comes from
It comes out of Black and queer US slang, where eat or eat up had already been used for doing something with serious skill and presence. By the 2010s, ate became the punchy praise form all over online culture, especially in drag, pop fandom, and stan spaces, then spread way wider.
Other ways to say it
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