gate / gāt/ • n. 1. a hinged barrier used to close an opening in a wall, fence, or hedge. ∎  a gateway: she went out through the gate. ∎ fig. a means of entrance or exit: they were opening the gates of their country wide to the enemy. ∎  an exit from an airport building to an aircraft. ∎  [in names] a mountain pass or other natural passage: the Golden Gate.2. the number of people who pay to enter a sports facility, exhibition hall, etc., for any one event: [as adj.] gate receipts. ∎  the money taken for admission.3. a device resembling a gate in structure or function, in particular: ∎  a hinged or sliding barrier for controlling the flow of water: a sluice gate. ∎  Skiing an opening through which a skier must pass in a slalom course, typically marked by upright poles. ∎  a device for holding each frame of a movie film in position behind the lens of a camera or projector.4. an electric circuit with an output that depends on the combination of several inputs: a logic gate. ∎  the part of a field-effect transistor to which a signal is applied to control the resistance of the conductive channel of the device.PHRASES: get (or be given) the gate inf. be dismissed from a job.

gate in Greek mythology, the gate of horn was the gate through which true dreams pass (as opposed to the ivory gate for false dreams).

See also like a bull at a gate at bull1, kissing gate, Pearly Gates at pearly.

gate1 opening in a wall capable of being closed by a barrier; barrier itself. OE. ġæt, ġeat, pl. gatu, corr. to OFris. gat hole, opening, OS. gat eye of a needle (LG., Du. gap, hole, breach), ON. gat opening, passage :- Gmc. *ʒatam. Forms with initial y, repr. OE. forms ġeat, etc., remain in northerly dial.; the standard form has been gate since XVI.

gate2
A. (north. dial.) way XIII; street (surviving in place-names) XV;

B. †going, journey XIII; manner of going (see GAIT). — ON. gata = OHG. gazza (G. gasse lane), Goth. gatwō :- Gmc. *ʒatwōn, of unkn. orig.

gate See logic gate.