Webster's English Dictionary

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mate

1. mate \'ma-t\ vt [ME maten, fr. MF mater, fr. OF mat, n., checkmate, fr. 
   Ar Xma-t (in sha-h ma-t) : CHECKMATE 
2. mate n : CHECKMATE 
3. mate n [ME, prob. fr. MLG ma-t; akin to OE gemetta guest at one's 
   table], mete food - more at MEAT 1a1: ASSOCIATE, COMPANION  1a2: an 
   assistant to a more skilled workman : HELPER {plumber's (R@} archaic  1b: 
   MATCH, PEER  2: a deck officer on a merchant ship ranking below the captain 
    3: one of a pair; esp : one of a married pair 
4. mate vt archaic  1: EQUAL, MATCH  2: to join or fit together : COUPLE  
   3a: to join together as mates  3b: to provide a mate for  : to become mated 
   {gears that ~ well} 
5. ma.te or ma.te \'ma:-.ta-\ n [F & AmerSp; F mate`, fr. AmerSp mate, fr. 
   Quechua] 1: an aromatic beverage used chiefly in So. America  2: a So. 
   American holly (Ilex paraguayensis) whose leaves and shoots  are used in 
   making mate; also : these leaves and shoots