mate

Less common meanings

10. 10
    perfect matchnouncountable

    The other one of a pair, like a sock or glove, or someone or something equal to another.

    She found one glove in her coat pocket, but its mate was gone.

    I still have one earring, but I lost its mate at the party.

    Similarmatch, partner, twin, companion, counterpart

    Note
11. 11
    naval ranknouncountable

    In a navy, a sailor who holds a skilled rank, or the helper who works under that sailor.

    The gunner's mate cleaned and loaded the big guns on the warship.

    He served as a gunner's mate on a navy ship.

    Similarassistant, helper

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12. 12
    sort pairsverbtransitive

    To put things together in pairs that match.

    Please mate the gloves so each pair stays together.

    She mated the socks before putting them away in the drawer.

    Similarpair, match, sort

13. 13
    trade helpernouncountable

    A helper who works for a skilled worker, such as a plumber, and sometimes learns the job.

    The plumber's mate carried the tools and cut the pipes to size.

    He worked as a builder's mate while he learned the job.

    UsageSay a plumber's mate for a plumber's helper.

    Similarassistant, helper, apprentice, hand

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14. 14
    marry offverbtransitive

    To marry someone, or to find a husband or wife for someone.

    Her parents hoped to mate her to a rich man's son.

    The old king mated his daughters to powerful friends.

    Similarmarry, wed, match, pair

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15. 15
    come togetherverbdatedintransitive

    To come together as friends, partners, or companions.

    Indeed, some cases of devotion that were met with were quite touching; and very often to all appearances the pairs were not always mated from the same class of society.

    1887, Harriet W. Daly, DiggingHere, mated means paired together as partners or companions.

    Similarbond, fraternize, associate

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16. 16
    chess winnounabbreviationclipping

    Short for checkmate: in chess, when a king is attacked and cannot escape, so that player loses.

    She won the game with a quick mate.

    The final move was mate, and the game was over.

    UsagePlayers say mate in two or mate in three.

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17. 17
    verbabbreviationclipping

    Short form of checkmate. To attack the other player's king so that it cannot escape, winning the game.

    If you move your queen there, you can mate him next turn.

    Two rooks can mate a lone king quite easily.

    Note
18. 18
    verbobsoletetransitive

    To be as strong or skilled as someone and to compete against them as an equal.

    There is no passion in the mind of man so weak but it mates and masters the fear of death.

    1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Death”Here, mates means rivals or matches as an equal.

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19. 19
    verbobsolete

    To confuse someone completely, so they do not know what to think or do.

    I think you are all mated, or stark mad.

    c. 1594, William Shakespeare, “The Comedie of Errors”Here, mated means completely confused, not knowing what to think.

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20. 20
    verbtransitive

    To put one animal with another so that they will have babies.

    The farmer wants to mate his best cow with a prize bull.

    We mated our two rabbits, and soon there were eight more.

    UsageSay mate one animal with another.

    Similarbreed, pair

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