What Does "it has eaten" Mean?
Learn what "it has eaten" means, when people say it, and how to use it naturally in English.
It has eaten me deep before you find out elsewhere.
The speaker means the issue has been bothering them badly and they want to explain it before someone else tells the story.
From The Pendleton Secrete, Episode 50
When do people say this?
Scene Context
Someone is admitting they have been deeply troubled by something before others find out.
Usage Scenario
This sounds unnatural in everyday English, so learners would usually say it another way. It is better treated as a context-heavy drama line than a reusable phrase.
Better ways to say it
I had to tell you before you heard it from someone else.
This has been eating me up inside.
I wanted you to hear it from me first.
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