gate
A2Neutral - common across all registers from casual conversation to technical writing.
Definition
Meaning
A movable barrier, usually hinged, used to close an opening in a wall, fence, or hedge.
Any means of entrance, exit, or access; a point of control or limitation. In electronics, a logic circuit with one output and multiple inputs. In aviation, an assigned area at an airport terminal where passengers board. Figuratively, a scandal, often political (from 'Watergate').
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The core meaning is physical and concrete. Its use to denote a point of access/control is common in systems (e.g., security gate, starting gate). The scandal meaning ('-gate' suffix) is highly productive in journalism.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. The 'starting gate' in horse racing is universal. UK tends to use 'gate' for the departure area in airports (Gate 5), while US uses both 'gate' and 'terminal gate' interchangeably.
Connotations
In the UK, 'the gate' can colloquially refer to the number of people attending a sports match (attendance). In US political context, '-gate' carries stronger immediate association with scandal.
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both dialects for core meaning. The scandal suffix '-gate' originated in US English but is now fully global.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[N] + gate (The wooden gate)gate + [to N] (the gate to the garden)gate + [of N] (the gate of the castle)gate + [number] (Gate 22)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “gate-crash (to attend uninvited)”
- “give someone the gate (to dismiss/reject someone)”
- “open the gate to (allow something to happen)”
- “pearly gates (entrance to heaven)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used metaphorically: 'a gatekeeper' (someone controlling access), 'gate review' (a checkpoint in a project).
Academic
In computer science: 'logic gate'; in history: 'as a gate to the East'; in sociology: 'gatekeeping theory'.
Everyday
Referring to garden gates, airport gates, or school/university gates. 'Meet me at the main gate.'
Technical
In electronics: 'AND gate', 'OR gate'. In fluid dynamics: 'sluice gate'. In events: 'gate receipts'.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The headmaster decided to gate the student for leaving campus without permission.
- They gated the road for the marathon.
American English
- The university gates students who violate curfew.
- The community association voted to gate the neighbourhood entrance.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Please close the garden gate.
- Our flight leaves from Gate A3.
- The castle has a very big gate.
- He leaned against the iron gate waiting for his friend.
- Security at the main gate checked our IDs.
- The scandal was immediately dubbed 'Lettucegate' by the press.
- The new policy could open the gate to numerous legal challenges.
- She managed to gate-crash the VIP party by blending in with the staff.
- The logic gate is a fundamental building block of digital circuits.
- The biography served as a gate into the complex world of Renaissance politics.
- The editor acted as a gatekeeper, rejecting manuscripts that didn't fit the journal's scope.
- The floodgates of criticism were opened following the minister's controversial statement.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a large, ornate GATE at the entrance of a huge estate. The word sounds like 'great', and a great entrance often has a grand gate.
Conceptual Metaphor
GATE AS OPPORTUNITY/CONTROL (e.g., 'gateway to success', 'gatekeeper'), GATE AS SCANDAL (e.g., 'Deflategate').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing 'gate' with 'door' (дверь). A gate is typically for an outdoor/fenced entrance.
- The suffix '-gate' for scandals (e.g., 'Russiagate') is a direct borrowing and does not translate directly. In Russian, it's often rendered as '-гейт'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'gate' for an interior door. (Incorrect: 'the gate to the bedroom' / Correct: 'the door to the bedroom').
- Confusing 'gate' with 'gateau' (a cake).
- Misspelling as 'gait' (which means manner of walking).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'gate' LEAST likely to be used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily, yes. The core meaning involves an opening in a wall, fence, or hedge. For interior passages, 'door' is standard.
It's a productive suffix added to a word associated with the scandal (e.g., 'Bridgegate', 'Gamergate'). It originates from the Watergate scandal (1972).
A gate is typically part of an outdoor fence, wall, or boundary, often larger and not part of a building's main structure. A door is a hinged barrier in a wall of a building or vehicle.
Yes, though less common. It means to confine someone to a school/college grounds as punishment (mainly UK), or more generally, to provide with or control by a gate.