verb

ate

ate

I ate a large breakfast this morning.

I ate a large breakfast this morning.

The rust ate away at the metal.

The rust ate away at the metal.

((sth.)) to consume (sth.) as food I ate an apple yesterday.

((away at sth.)) to corrode or destroy (sth.) The acid ate away at the wood.

Synonyms: consumed, devoured; Antonyms: fasted

From Old English 'æt', the past tense of 'etan' (to eat).

Pronounced the same as the number 'eight'. Remember it with a sentence like 'I ate at eight o'clock'.

This page is designed for learning support. Please use it as a learning reference, not as a formal reference.