n. 1 companion, associate, colleague, fellow, chap, co-worker, comrade, crony, ally, friend, alter ego, Colloq chum, pal, US buddy, cohort, Slang Brit cully, china After work, my mates and I stop off for a beer or two (or three ) 2 spouse, partner, helpmeet, helpmate, consort, husband or wife, better half, Colloq hubby, old man or lady or woman, lord and master, US bride, Slang trouble and strife (= 'wife') He scarcely seems a worthy mate for the winner of a Miss World contest 3 fellow, twin, counterpart, parallel, one of a pair Have you seen the mate to this sock anywhere?
v. 4 pair (up), match (up), marry, wed, join, unite, couple, link (up) People should be free to mate with whom they wish 5 breed, couple, copulate, pair (up) The zoo was able to get the rhinoceroses to mate A lion was mated with a tiger to produce a tigon. 6 match (up), fit (together), synchronize, join I cannot get these gears to mate