Meaning
To respect, admire, and hold in high regard — 'mi rate yuh' means I respect you, I think highly of you. To 'rate' a person is to recognise and honour their worth, skill, or character, and to be 'rated' is to be esteemed and given your due. A key everyday word for according someone respect, it runs through the whole Jamaican concern with reputation and standing, and to say you rate a person, an artist, or a deed is to give it genuine, considered praise, marking it as worthy in your eyes.
Examples
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Mi rate yuh fi how yuh handle dat.
I respect you for how you handled that.
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Everybody rate him inna di community.
Everyone respects him in the community.
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Mi rate di work yuh a do.
I really admire the work you're doing.
Origin
From 'rate' (to value/assess); in Patois narrowed to 'to respect / hold in high regard'.
How it’s used
To respect/admire ('mi rate yuh'). A core word of giving respect. Compare 'respek', 'big up'.