mate

mate¹ S3 [meıt] n

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1¦(somebody you do something with)¦

2¦(friend)¦

3¦(animal)¦

4¦(husband/wife)¦

5¦(sailor)¦

6¦(navy officer)¦

7 builder's/plumber's/electrician's etc mate

8¦(game)¦

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[Date: 1300-1400; : Middle Low German; Origin: mat]

1.) ¦(SOMEBODY YOU DO SOMETHING WITH)¦

someone you work with, do an activity with, or share something with

class/team/work etc mate

▪ Dad's office mates are throwing a party for him.

house/flat/room mate

(=someone you share a house, room etc with)

2.) ¦(FRIEND)¦ BrE informal

a) a friend

▪ I'm going out with my mates tonight.

good/best mate

▪ He's good mates with John.

▪ Most of my school mates are black.

b) used as a friendly way to address a man

▪ What's the time, mate?

3.) ¦(ANIMAL)¦

the sexual partner of an animal

4.) ¦(HUSBAND/WIFE)¦ AmE

a husband or wife - used especially in magazines

= ↑partner

▪ How do women choose their mates?

5.) ¦(SAILOR)¦

a ship's officer who is one rank below the captain

6.) ¦(NAVY OFFICER)¦

a US Navy ↑petty officer

7.) builder's/plumber's/electrician's etc mate

BrE someone who works with and helps a skilled worker

8.) ¦(GAME)¦ [U and C]

↑checkmate in the game of ↑chess

mate ²

mate² v

[Sense: 1-2; Date: 1500-1600; Origin: MATE¹]

[Sense: 3; Date: 1200-1300; : Old French; Origin: mater, from mat 'checkmate', from Arabic]

1.) [I]

if animals mate, they have sex to produce babies

mate with

▪ It's quite common for male birds to mate with several females.

2.) [T]

to put animals together so that they will have sex and produce babies

▪ Rabbits can be mated as early as six months old.

3.) [T]

to achieve the ↑checkmate of your opponent in ↑chess