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 fence2: 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 race5 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 membrane6slang : dismissal <gave him the gate>7: the total admission receipts or the number of spectators (as at a sports event)