attaboy!, excl. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

attaboy! excl.

also at-a-boy! attababes! attababy! attagirl! atta kid! thataboy! thatta baby! thatta boy!

[? phr. ‘that’s the boy’ etc or ‘at her, boy’ (DSUE), where ‘her’ is neuter. Note US milit./police jargon attaboy, a commendation; Fraser & Gibbons, Soldier & Sailor Words & Phrases (1925), suggest it is ‘American slang used by players and lookers on at Base-ball matches’]

(orig. US) a general excl. of admiration and encouragement.

1899		Cornhill Mag. CIL 149: The Emir [...] rushed from the tent, with a low exhortation of ' Attaboy, Bud! Bust him up!
1905		Foundry L 331/3: Attaboy, but keep your nose off the grindstone.
1909		Amer. Mag. May 40/2: Back of Chance’s war cries, ‘At-a-boy’, or ‘Now ye’re pitching’, may be hidden a whole command to his team .
1913–14		Van Loan ‘No Business’ in Taking the Count 167: A glove thudded [...] into the unarmored region known as the pit of the stomach. ‘Thatta boy!’ howled the Cricket. ‘Downstairs!’.
1915		R. Lardner ‘Alibi Ike’ in Coll. Short Stories (1941) 49: ‘Yatta boy!’ says Carey. ‘Congratulations!’.
1915		Wash. Times (DC) 19 Mar. 14/2: Thattaboy! Thattaboy!
1917		Topeka State Jrnl (KS) 19 Apr. 8/3: Yah-ha! Attaboy! Attaboy! Pitch to me kid — put her there!
1922		N.Y. Tribune 6 Aug. 5/4: ‘Attagirl!’ Camille Sabie [...] hurdler of the track team.
1923		H.C. Witwer Fighting Blood 42: ‘Attaboy!’ says Spence, slapping the counter.
1925		Dos Passos Manhattan Transfer 311: Now give me a real kiss sweetest. Thataboy.
1925		G.S. Schuyler Yellow Peril in Hatch & Hamalian Lost Plays of Harlem Renaissance (1996) 58: More hooch, eh? Atta baby!
1926		M. West Sex (1997) I ii: Wrap yourself around this. Atta girl.
1929		C. Coe Hooch! 194: ‘Thatta baby,’ Flenger grunted.
1929		J. Lait Broadway Melody 40: ‘I’m just — s-so h-h-happ-ppy!’ ‘Attababes.’.
1930		W.R. Burnett Iron Man 227: Atta boy, Coke [...] Give ’em what they end, kid.
1934		(con. 1920s) J.T. Farrell Young Manhood in Studs Lonigan (1936) 369: ‘Thataboy, Studs,’ said Phil Rolfe.
1934		H. Roth Call It Sleep (1977) 344: Atta kid! Aintchoo goin’ dough [...] Atta kid!
1935		Peters & Sklar Stevedore II iii: Atta girl, sugar! Hot mama!
1941		J.M. Cain Mildred Pierce (1985) 376: ’Atta girl!
1947		G. Fairlie Bulldog Drummond Stands Fast 33: ‘Attagirl!’ said Algy.
1947		B. Schulberg Harder They Fall (1971) 205: Attaboy, cut him down to your size!
1949		F. Brown Dead Ringer 109: ‘Attababy,’ I said.
1951		M. Spillane One Lonely Night 28: Attaboy, buddy!
1953		S. Sterling ‘The Kiss and Tell Murders’ Popular Detective May 🌐 ‘Okay. Two Fundador, right away.’ ‘Attakeed.’.
1963		F. Kohner Affairs of Gidget 112: ‘Atta girl!’ yelled Ollie.
1967		P. Thomas Down These Mean Streets (1970) 232: ‘This is a stick-up.’ His voice sounded like bombs falling. Attaboy, Danny.
1975		J. Roe The Same Old Grind 118: ‘Atta girl,’ said Max.
1978		A. Maupin Tales of the City (1984) 197: ‘Attaboy!’ said Herbert Tolliver.
1981		S. Berkoff Decadence in Decadence and Other Plays (1985) 10: Attagirl / that’s how I like to see you chat.
1983		C. Heath A-Team 2 (1984) 155: ‘Atta boy, Driver!’ one of his companions rooted.
1983		‘Heat Moon’ Blue Highways 154: Loud and cocky, he cried out, ‘Attabaybee!’.
1996		K. Lette Mad Cows 67: ‘Atta girl!’ Mamma Joy enthused.
1999		Indep. Rev. 6 July 2: Attaboy. Good luck.
2000		S. Varma Lament of Mohini 18: Atta boy, that’s it, you’re doing fine, go to it!
2015		S. King Finders Keepers (2016) 15: ‘I would like a little support here.’ ‘Maybe even an attaboy.’ ‘Atta-baby,’Tom said.