mate¹ ◙ noun 1. [Brit. informal] a friend or companion • [英，非正式] 朋友；伴侣 »I was with a mate. 我和一个同伴在一起。 »my best mate Steve. 我最好的朋友史蒂夫。 used as a friendly form of address between men or boys • 老兄，老弟［用于男人或男孩之间的友善称呼］ »‘See you then, mate.’. “再见，老弟。”。 in combination a fellow member or joint occupant of a specified thing • 同学，同桌，室友［用于合成词，表示指明的同伴］ »his table-mates. 与他同桌吃饭的人。 2. each of a pair of birds or other animals • （鸟，兽）配偶 »a male bird sings to court a mate. 雄鸟通过鸣唱来求偶。 [informal] a person's husband, wife, or other sexual partner • [非正式] 配偶；丈夫；妻子；性伙伴 3. an assistant or deputy, in particular • 助手，副手，尤指 an assistant to a skilled worker • 下手 »a plumber's mate. 管子工的下手。 an officer on a merchant ship subordinate to the master • 大副。 --› seefirst mate ◙ verb 1. [no obj.] (of animals or birds) come together for breeding;copulate • （鸟，兽）交配，交尾 »successful males may mate with many females. 获胜的雄性可以同许多雌性交配。 »[as noun mating] ovulation occurs only if mating has taken place. 只有在已交配的情况下才会排卵。 [with obj.] bring (animals or birds) together for breeding • 将（鸟或兽）聚拢在一起进行繁殖 (humorous)join in marriage or sexual partnership • [幽默] 结婚；发生性关系 »people tend to mate with others in their own social class. 人们倾向于和同社交阶层的人成婚。 2. [with obj.] join or connect mechanically • 连接，配备 »a four-cylinder engine mated toa five-speed gearbox. 配有5速齿轮箱的4缸发动机。 [no obj.] be connected or joined • 连接，结合
【派生】
♦ mateless adjective
【语源】
1. late Middle English: from Middle Low German māt(e) 'comrade', of West Germanic origin; related to meat (the underlying notion being that of eating together)mate² ◙ noun & verb 1. [Chess] . short forcheckmate • [棋] checkmate的简称
【IDIOMS】
◘ fool's mate 1. a game in which White is mated by Black's queen on the second move • 走第二步棋时白方就被黑方将死的败局 ◘ scholar's mate 1. a game in which White mates Black on the fourth move with the queen, supported by the king's bishop • 走第四步棋时白方用后和王象把黑方将死的棋局
【语源】
1. Middle English: the noun from Anglo-Norman French mat (from the phrase eschec mat 'checkmate'); the verb from Anglo-Norman French mater 'to checkmate'