mate

Etymology 1

From Middle English mate, a borrowing from Middle Low German mate (“messmate”) (replacing Middle English mette (“table companion, mate, partner”), from Old English ġemetta (“sharer of food, table-guest”)), derived from Proto-Germanic *gamatjô, itself from *ga- (“together”) (related to German and Dutch ge-) + *matjô (from *matiz (“food”)), related to Old English mete (“food”)). From the same Middle Low German source stems German Low German Maat (“journeyman, companion”), German Maat (“naval non-commissioned officer”). Cognates include Saterland Frisian Moat (“friend, buddy, comrade, mate”), Dutch maat (“mate, partner, colleague, friend”). More at Old English ġe-, English co-, English meat. Doublet of maat.

noun

1. A fellow, comrade, colleague, partner or someone with whom something is shared, e.g. shipmate, classmate.
   A "mate" was a "mate" - share and share alike, no matter how bad might be the times, or how long a spell of ill luck had attended them. 1887, Harriet W. Daly, Digging, Squatting, and Pioneering Life in the Northern Territory of South Australia, page 152
2. (especially of a non-human animal) A breeding partner.
3. (colloquial, Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, sometimes elsewhere in the Commonwealth) A friend, usually of the same sex.
   I'm going to the pub with a few mates.
   He's my best mate.
4. (colloquial, Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, sometimes elsewhere in the Commonwealth) Friendly term of address to a stranger, usually male, of similar age.
   Excuse me, mate, have you got the time?
5. (nautical) In naval ranks, a non-commissioned officer or his subordinate (e.g. Boatswain's Mate, Gunner's Mate, Sailmaker's Mate, etc).
6. (nautical) A ship's officer, subordinate to the master on a commercial ship.
7. (nautical) A first mate.
8. A technical assistant in certain trades (e.g. gasfitter's mate, plumber's mate); sometimes an apprentice.
9. The other member of a matched pair of objects.
   I found one of the socks I wanted to wear, but I couldn't find its mate.
10. A suitable companion; a match; an equal.

verb

1. (intransitive) To match, fit together without space between.
   The pieces of the puzzle mate perfectly.
2. (intransitive) To copulate.
3. (intransitive) To pair in order to raise offspring.
4. (transitive) To arrange in matched pairs.
5. (transitive) To introduce (animals) together for the purpose of breeding.
6. (transitive, of an animal) To copulate with.
7. (transitive) To marry; to match (a person).
8. (transitive, obsolete) To match oneself against; to oppose as equal; to compete with.
9. (transitive) To fit (objects) together without space between.
10. (intransitive) To come together as companions, comrades, partners, etc.
    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, Digging, Squatting, and Pioneering Life in the Northern Territory of South Australia, page 152
11. (transitive, aerospace) To move (a space shuttle orbiter) onto the back of an aircraft that can carry it.

Etymology 2

table From Middle English verb maten, from Middle French mater, from Old French noun mat (“checkmate”), from Persian شاه مات (šâh mât).

noun

1. (chess) Clipping of checkmate.

verb

1. (chess) Clipping of checkmate.

Etymology 3

table From Middle English maten (“to overpower”), from Old French mater (“to kill”), from Vulgar Latin *mattō, of unclear origin.

verb

1. (obsolete) To confuse; to confound.

Etymology 4

See maté.

noun

1. Alternative spelling of maté, an aromatic tea-like drink prepared from the holly yerba maté (Ilex paraguariensis).
2. The abovementioned plant; the leaves and shoots used for the tea