/ meɪt; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
FRIEND
1.
[ C ] ( BrE , informal ) a friend :
They've been best mates since school.
I was with a mate.
FRIENDLY NAME
2.
[ C ] ( BrE , informal ) used as a friendly way of addressing sb, especially between men :
Sorry mate, you'll have to wait.
All right, mate?
SB YOU SHARE WITH
3.
[ C ] (in compounds) a person you share an activity or accommodation with :
workmates / teammates / playmates / classmates
my room-mate / flatmate
—see also running mate , soulmate
BIRD / ANIMAL
4.
[ C ] either of a pair of birds or animals :
A male bird sings to attract a mate.
SEXUAL PARTNER
5.
[ C ] ( informal ) a husband, wife or other sexual partner
JOB
6.
[ C ] ( BrE ) a person whose job is to help a skilled worker :
a builder's / plumber's mate
ON SHIP
7.
[ C ] an officer in a commercial ship below the rank of captain or master
—see also first mate
IN CHESS
8.
[ U ] = checkmate
■ verb
ANIMALS / BIRDS
1.
[ v ] mate (with sth) ( of two animals or birds ) to have sex in order to produce young :
Do foxes ever mate with dogs?
—see also mating
2.
[ vn ] mate sth (to / with sth) to put animals or birds together so that they will have sex and produce young
IN CHESS
3.
[ vn ] = checkmate
••
WORD ORIGIN
noun senses 1 to 7 and verb senses 1 to 2 late Middle English : from Middle Low German māt(e) comrade, of West Germanic origin; related to meat (the underlying concept being that of eating together).
noun sense 8 and verb sense 3 Middle English : the noun from Anglo-Norman French mat (from the phrase eschec mat checkmate); the verb from Anglo-Norman French mater to checkmate.