Definition

1. Noun:

   • A friend or companion: An informal term for a friend, often of the same sex, or someone you spend time with.
   • A partner in a relationship: One of a pair, especially a spouse, a sexual partner, or an animal's breeding partner.
   • A fellow member of a group: Someone who shares the same occupation, team, or situation.
   • A subordinate officer on a ship: The officer next in rank below the master on a merchant ship.
   • One of a matched pair: One of two corresponding or identical items.
   • Checkmate in chess: A move that puts the opponent's king in an inescapable position, ending the game.
   • A South American holly plant or drink: A type of holly (Ilex paraguariensis) or the tea-like beverage made from its leaves.

2. Verb:

   • To pair or connect: To bring two things or people together as a pair or match.
   • To copulate: (Used of animals) To engage in sexual intercourse for reproduction.
   • To checkmate in chess: To make the winning move that traps the opponent's king.

Examples

• Noun:

  • He's been my best mate since school. (He is my closest friend.)
  • The swan mourned the loss of its mate. (The swan was sad after its partner died.)
  • She works well with her teammates. (She collaborates effectively with her fellow team members.)
  • The first mate took command of the ship. (The ship's second-in-command assumed control.)
  • I can't find the mate to this sock. (I cannot find the matching sock for this one.)
  • He declared mate in three moves. (He announced he would win the chess game in three moves.)
  • We shared a gourd of mate. (We drank the South American tea together.)

• Verb:

  • The teacher will mate the students for the project. (The teacher will pair the students together.)
  • The pandas are expected to mate this spring. (The pandas are likely to breed.)
  • He managed to mate his opponent's king. (He succeeded in checkmating his opponent.)

Advanced Usage

• "Soul mate": A person ideally suited to another as a close friend or romantic partner.
  • Many people search for their soul mate.
• "Running mate": A candidate running for a secondary office, especially the vice-presidential candidate, alongside the main candidate.
  • The presidential candidate announced his running mate.
• "Mate for life": Describes animals that form a permanent pair bond.
  • Swans are known to mate for life.

Variants and Related Words

• Classmate (n): A fellow member of the same class in school, college, or a course.
• Teammate (n): A fellow member of a sports team or other team.
• Roommate (n): A person with whom one shares a room or apartment.
• Checkmate (n/v): The winning position in chess; to achieve this position.
• Mating (n): The action of animals pairing for reproduction.

Synonyms

• Friend, Buddy, Pal (n): Informal words for a companion.
• Partner, Spouse (n): A person associated with another in a relationship.
• Pair, Match (v): To bring two corresponding things together.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Mate up: To form pairs or partnerships.
  • We need to mate up for the dance class.
• Mate with: (Formal/Biological) To breed or copulate with.
  • This species only mates with its own kind.

Related Idioms

• "Go mates with": (Australian/British informal) To become partners or close friends with someone.
  • They decided to go mates with the new neighbors.
• "Mate's rates": (Informal, chiefly British/Australian) A discounted price offered to a friend.
  • He fixed my car at mate's rates.

Noun

1. a chess move constituting an inescapable and indefensible attack on the opponent's king
2. South American tea-like drink made from leaves of a South American holly called mate
3. informal term for a friend of the same sex
4. South American holly; leaves used in making a drink like tea
5. one of a pair
   • he lost the mate to his shoe
   • one eye was blue but its fellow was brown
6. an exact duplicate
   • when a match is found an entry is made in the notebook
7. a person's partner in marriage
8. the partner of an animal (especially a sexual partner)
   • he loved the mare and all her mates
   • camels hate leaving their mates
9. a fellow member of a team
   • it was his first start against his former teammates
10. the officer below the master on a commercial ship

Verb

1. place an opponent's king under an attack from which it cannot escape and thus ending the game
   • Kasparov checkmated his opponent after only a few moves
2. bring two objects, ideas, or people together
   • This fact is coupled to the other one
   • Matchmaker, can you match my daughter with a nice young man?
   • The student was paired with a partner for collaboration on the project
3. engage in sexual intercourse
   • Birds mate in the Spring