“Dude” is both approbative and gently mocking; a word used among friends. If somebody fucks up in a comical fashion, they are totally “dude.” One is unlikely to call a serious enemy “dude.”
There is an element of lightness and unseriousness associated with “dude,” which is to its credit. See also “dude ranch,” or Chester A. Arthur, the “Dude President.”
@pinskal And "dude" been in the English language for centuries! It's also a word of praise for something mildly daring or achieving the unexpectedly courageous. In all these senses, consider a woman being called "dude" for acheiving what the men around her wouldn't expect from her gender. (The woman in question definitely considers it praise, but she is also a leader.)
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