I. mate 1 S2 /meɪt/ BrE AmE noun
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Middle Low German ; Origin: mat ]
1 . SOMEBODY YOU DO SOMETHING WITH [countable] 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 [countable] British English 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 [countable] the sexual partner of an animal
4 . HUSBAND/WIFE [countable] American English a husband or wife – used especially in magazines SYN partner :
How do women choose their mates?
5 . SAILOR [countable] a ship’s officer who is one rank below the captain
6 . NAVY OFFICER [countable] a US Navy ↑ petty officer
7 . builder’s/plumber’s/electrician’s etc mate British English someone who works with and helps a skilled worker
8 . GAME [uncountable] ↑ checkmate in the game of ↑ chess
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ friend someone who you know and like very much and enjoy spending time with:
Dad, this is my friend Steve.
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She’s going to Palm Springs with some friends.
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I got a letter from a friend from college.
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Amy’s a close friend of mine.
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John was a really good friend to me when I had all those problems last year.
▪ acquaintance /əˈkweɪnt ə ns/ someone who you know and see sometimes, but who is not one of your close friends:
We borrowed the money from one of Paul’s business acquaintances.
▪ mate British English informal a friend – used especially about boys or men:
He always goes to the pub with his mates on Friday night.
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Terry’s an old mate of mine.
▪ buddy American English informal a friend – used especially about men or young people:
He’s out playing basketball with some of his high school buddies.
▪ pal informal a friend – pal sounds rather old-fashioned:
They met at school and have remained close pals.
▪ crony [usually plural] disapproving a friend – used about powerful people who will help each other even if it is slightly dishonest:
He’s one of the President’s cronies.
▪ companion written someone who spends time with you, doing the same things as you – used about animals as well as people:
travelling companions
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His dog was his constant companion.
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the perfect companion
▪ the girls informal a woman’s female friends:
We’re having a girls’ night out.
▪ the lads British English informal a man’s male friends:
a night out with the lads
II. mate 2 BrE AmE verb
[ Sense 1-2: Date: 1500-1600 ; Origin: ⇨ ↑ mate 1 ]
[ Sense 3: Date: 1200-1300 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: mater , from mat 'checkmate' , from Arabic ]
1 . [intransitive] if animals mate, they have sex to produce babies
mate with
It’s quite common for male birds to mate with several females.
2 . [transitive] to put animals together so that they will have sex and produce babies:
Rabbits can be mated as early as six months old.
3 . [transitive] to achieve the ↑ checkmate of your opponent in ↑ chess