Main Entry: ¹gate

Pronunciation: \ˈgāt\

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English, from Old English geat; akin to Old Norse gat opening

Date: before 12th century

1 : an opening in a wall or fence
2 : a city or castle entrance often with defensive structures (as towers)
3 a : the frame or door that closes a gate b : a movable barrier (as at a grade crossing)
4 a : a means of entrance or exit b : starting gate c : an area (as at a railroad station or an airport) for departure or arrival d : a space between two markers through which a competitor must pass in the course of a slalom race
5 a : a door, valve, or other device for controlling the passage especially of a fluid b (1) : an electronic switch that allows or prevents the flow of current in a circuit (2) : an electrode in a field-effect transistor that modulates the current flowing through the transistor according to the voltage applied to the electrode — compare drain, source c : a device (as in a computer) that outputs a signal when specified input conditions are met <logic gate> d : a molecule or part of a molecule that acts (as by a change in conformation) in response to a stimulus to permit or block passage (as of ions) through a cell membrane
6 slang : dismissal <gave him the gate>
7 : the total admission receipts or the number of spectators (as at a sports event)