ate

S1 W1

BrE /eɪt/ AmE /eɪt/

verb en → es

past ate pp eaten ing eating

1 EAT [transitive] A1

to eat food, especially at a particular time of day or for a particular meal

comer, consumir, degustar

  • eat something
  • eat something for breakfast/lunch/dinner

Collocations eat a meal · eat an apple

  • She ate a sandwich at lunchtime.

    Ella comió un sándwich al mediodía.

2 CONSUMPTION [transitive] B1

to use up or consume something, especially food or drink

consumir, usar, tomar (bebida)

  • eat one's way through sth

Collocations eat a hole in something · eat away at something

  • The acid ate its way through the metal.

    El ácido se comió su camino a través del metal.

Phrasal verbs

eat into REDUCE B2

disminuir, reducir

  • The costs ate into their profits.

    Los costos disminuyeron sus ganancias.

eat out DINE OUTSIDE B1

comer afuera, salir a comer

  • We decided to eat out tonight.

    Decidimos comer afuera esta noche.

Idioms

eat humble pie C1

comer sopa amarga, admitir humildemente

  • He had to eat humble pie when he lost the election.

    Tuvo que comer sopa amarga cuando perdió las elecciones.

eat one's words C1

tragarse las palabras, retractar una afirmación

  • He had to eat his words when the evidence proved him wrong.

    Tuvo que tragarse sus palabras cuando la evidencia lo demostró equivocado.

eat one's heart out C1

sufrir, estar desconsolado/a

  • She was eating her heart out for him.

    Ella estaba sufriendo por él.