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Webster's Dictionary (1865)

5 entries under this word

Mate

Māte, n.

noun

n. [Icel. māti, equal, companion, O. D. maat, companion, mate, N. D. maat.]

Sense 1. One who customarily associates with another; a companion; an associate.

Sense 2. Hence, specifically, a husband or wife; and among the lower animals, one of a pair associated for propagation and the care of their young.

Sense 3. (Naut.) An officer in a merchant ship or ship of war; an officer in a merchant vessel ranking next below the captain. If there are more than one bearing the title, they are called, respectively, first mate, second mate, third mate, &c.

Sense 4. In general, a subordinate officer; an assistant; as, master's mate, surgeon's mate, &c.

Sense 5. A suitable companion; a match; an equal.

*You knew me once no mate For you; there sitting where you durst not soar. Milton.*

Mate, n.

noun

(mä/tä), n. [Sp.] The Paraguay tea, being the dried leaf of the Brazilian holly (Ilex Paraguariensis). The infusion has a pleasant odor, with an agreeable bitter taste. Johnston.

Māte, n.

noun

n. [Fr. & Pr. mat, Sp. & Pg. mate, It. matto, L. Lat. mattus, abbrev. fr. Fr. échec et mat, Sp. jaque y mate, jaquemate, It. scacco matto, from Per. shāh māt, the king is dead; whence also Ger. matt, mate, faint, exhausted. See CHECKMATE.] (Chess.) The state of the king when so situated that he can not escape, and which ends the game; check-mate.

Māte, v. t.

verbtransitive

v. t. [imp. & p. p. MATED; p. pr. & vb. n. MATING.] [See MATE, a companion.]

  1. To match; to marry.
  2. To match one's self against; to oppose as equal; to compete with.

It is worthy the observing, that there is no passion in the mind of man so weak but it mates and masters the fear of death. Bacon. I, i' th' way of loyalty and truth, Dare mate a sounder man than Surrey can be. Shak.

Māte, v. t.

verbtransitive

v. t. [Fr. mater, O. Fr. also matir, amatir, to fatigue, enfeeble, humiliate, checkmate, Pr. matar, It. matiare. See MATE, in chess.] To enervate; to crush. [Obs.] Audacity doth almost bind and mate the weaker sort of minds. Bacon.