mate

Everyday

1. (UK, Australia, NZ, Ireland, informal) A friend: «He's my mate». tree →
2. A person you share something with, as in «classmate», «teammate», «flatmate». tree →
3. The partner of an animal, with which it has babies. tree →
4. (verb) Of animals: to come together to make babies. tree →
5. An officer on a ship («first mate»). tree →
6. In chess, short for «checkmate». tree →

In the lessons

In everyday British and Australian speech «mate» is a friendly word, often to say hello or thanks: «Cheers, mate!». In science lessons about life cycles: animals find a mate in spring, birds sing to attract a mate. In stories: «the first mate» on a pirate ship. In chess «mate» ends the game.

Examples

• I'm going to the park with my mates. tree →
• Thanks, mate! tree →
• Jamie is my best mate. tree →
• My teammates cheered when I scored. tree →
• Birds sing to attract a mate. tree →
• Penguins often stay with the same mate for years. tree →
• The captain gave orders to the first mate. tree →
• White moved the queen and said «mate». tree →
• I met my mates in the morning, a broken, scattered band. tree →

Note

Countable: a mate, mates. «Mate» as «friend» is informal and common in the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand; Americans more often say «buddy» or «pal». It is in many compounds: classmate, playmate, roommate, shipmate.

In Jewish tradition

Here it means a partner of an animal, so that there would be a male and a female of each kind in the ark.

Interpretation. The animals came in pairs to keep each kind alive after the Flood. The rabbis noted that seven pairs of clean animals were taken so Noah could offer sacrifices later.

Examples

• Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee seven and seven, each with his mate; and of the beasts that are not clean two and two, each with his mate; (Torah GEN.7.2, JPS 1917) tree →
• There shall the arrowsnake make her nest, and lay, and hatch, and brood under her shadow; yea, there shall the kites be gathered, every one with her mate. (Prophets ISA.34.15, JPS 1917) tree →
• Seek ye out of the book of the LORD, and read; no one of these shall be missing, none shall want her mate; for My mouth it hath commanded, and the breath thereof it hath gathered them. (Prophets ISA.34.16, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Countable: a mate, mates. «Mate» as «friend» is informal and common in the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand; Americans more often say «buddy» or «pal». It is in many compounds: classmate, playmate, roommate, shipmate.