[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/mate/)

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# mate

noun (a mate, mates); verb (mate, mates, mated, mating)

«mate» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (UK, Australia, NZ, Ireland, informal) A friend: «He's my mate». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mate/#m1)
2. A person you share something with, as in «classmate», «teammate», «flatmate». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mate/#m2)
3. The partner of an animal, with which it has babies. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mate/#m3)
4. (verb) Of animals: to come together to make babies. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mate/#m4)
5. An officer on a ship («first mate»). [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mate/#m5)
6. In chess, short for «checkmate». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mate/#m6)

### 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 →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mate/#x1)
- Thanks, mate! [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mate/#x2)
- Jamie is my best mate. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mate/#x3)
- My teammates cheered when I scored. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mate/#x4)
- Birds sing to attract a mate. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mate/#x5)
- Penguins often stay with the same mate for years. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mate/#x6)
- The captain gave orders to the first mate. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mate/#x7)
- White moved the queen and said «mate». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mate/#x8)
- I met my mates in the morning, a broken, scattered band. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mate/#x9)

### 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 →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/mate/#x1)
- 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 →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/mate/#x2)
- 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 →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/mate/#x3)

### 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.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «mate» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mate/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«mate» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/mate.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «mate» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/mate/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«mate» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/mate.html) on Mova free.