/ geɪt; NAmE / noun
1.
[ C ] a barrier like a door that is used to close an opening in a fence or a wall outside a building :
an iron gate
He pushed open the garden gate.
A crowd gathered at the factory gates.
the gates of the city
—see also lychgate , starting gate
2.
[ C ] an opening that can be closed by a gate or gates :
We drove through the palace gates.
3.
[ C ] a barrier that is used to control the flow of water on a river or canal :
a lock / sluice gate
4.
[ C ] a way out of an airport through which passengers go to get on their plane :
BA flight 726 to Paris is now boarding at gate 16.
5.
[ C ] the number of people who attend a sports event :
Tonight's game has attracted the largest gate of the season.
6.
(also ˈgate money ) [ U ] the amount of money made by selling tickets for a sports event :
Today's gate will be given to charity.
7.
-gate (forming nouns from the names of people or places; used especially in newspapers) a political scandal connected with the person or place mentioned
ORIGIN: From Watergate , the scandal in the United States that brought about the resignation of President Nixon in 1974.
8.
( computing ) = logic gate
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WORD ORIGIN
Old English gæt , geat , plural gatu , of Germanic origin; related to Dutch gat gap, hole, breach.