gate
gb/ɡˈeɪt/ us/ɡˈeɪt/
A1
English
~ 1900
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A1
entity
1
Barrier in fence or wall
A door-like part of a fence or wall that you can open or close to go through.
Usage pattern:
to open/close [a gate]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'gate' with 'door'; 'door' is usually part of a building, while 'gate' is part of a fence or outdoor barrier.
Synonyms
barrier (More general; can refer to any obstacle, not just one in a fence or wall.)
Antonyms
opening (Refers to an unobstructed entrance without any barrier.)
Collocations
open the gate
|close the gate
|garden gate
|front gate
|security gate
Themes
daily life
|construction
|travel
|housing
|daily_life
Examples
- She opened the gate to let the dog run into the yard.
- The farm has a wooden gate at the entrance.
- Security guards stood by the main gate of the factory.
- We walked through the iron gate into the park.
Learner examples
- Please close the gate after you come in.
- The gate is open.
- I see a big gate at the front of the house.
- We walk through the gate into the garden.
Noun
A2
entity
2
Boarding area at airport
A place in an airport where you get on or off a plane.
Usage pattern:
wait at [gate number]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'gate' with 'terminal'; a terminal is a whole building, while a gate is one specific boarding point.
Synonyms
exit (General term for a way out; not specific to airports.)
Antonyms
runway (The strip where planes take off and land, not where passengers board.)
Collocations
boarding gate
|departure gate
|gate number
|at the gate
Themes
travel
|transportation
Examples
- Our flight leaves from gate 12.
- Passengers should proceed to the boarding gate immediately.
- The announcement said our departure gate has changed.
Learner examples
- We wait at gate 5 for our plane.
- The plane is at the gate now.
- Please go to your gate quickly.
Noun
technical
B2
entity
3
Electronic control switch
A part in electronics that lets signals pass or stops them.
Synonyms
switch (General term; a 'gate' in electronics operates on signal logic rather than manual control.)
Antonyms
conductor (Allows continuous signal flow without control logic.)
Collocations
logic gate
|AND gate
|OR gate
Themes
technology
|engineering
|science
Examples
- The microchip contains millions of logic gates.
- An AND gate outputs high only when both inputs are high.
- Engineers tested the control gates for signal accuracy.
Learner examples
- A logic gate controls the signal in a computer.
- This chip has many gates.
- The gate stops the signal when needed.
Noun
B1
entity
4
(Possible confusion) Walking pattern (gait)
'Gait' means how someone walks. It sounds like 'gate' but is spelled differently.
Common mistake:
'Gate' is often mistakenly used instead of 'gait' because they sound the same.
Themes
health
|sports
|body
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Her gait was slow after the injury.
Learner examples
- He has a fast gait.
Grammar
Dictionary form
gate
IPA
GB/ɡˈeɪt/
US/ɡˈeɪt/
Syllables & stress
gate (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (gate)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: gate
- Plural: gates
Word family
Forms
gates
noun
Core family
gateway
noun A2
gatekeeper
noun
Related words
gated
adjective
gatehouse
noun
Advanced or less common
gatekeeping
noun
gatecrash
verb
Expressions
at the gates
1/ˈæt ðə ɡˈeɪts/
fixed phrase
Directly outside entrance barrier
Right outside a door, fence, or wall that blocks entry.
Examples
- The protesters are at the gates demanding change.
- Our friends were waiting at the gates when we arrived.
gate crash
1/ɡˈeɪt kɹˈæʃ/
phrasal verb
informal
Attend event without invitation
To go to a party or event without being asked or allowed to go.
Examples
- They tried to gate crash the wedding but were stopped by security.
- He loves to gate crash parties for fun.
golden gates
1/ɡˈoʊldən ɡˈeɪts/
fixed phrase
literary
Symbolic entrance to heaven
A way of talking about heaven’s entrance in stories or religion.
Examples
- He dreamed of walking through the golden gates into paradise.
- The song speaks of meeting again beyond the golden gates.
open the floodgates
1/ˈoʊpən ðə flˈʌdɡˌeɪts/
idiom
Allow something uncontrolled to happen
To let something happen more and more after stopping it before.
Examples
- The new policy opened the floodgates to complaints from customers.
- The new law opened the floodgates for foreign investment.
- Once she started talking, it opened the floodgates and she told us everything.
- His confession opened the floodgates for more complaints.