Main Entry: 1gate
Pronunciation: 'gAt
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English geat; akin to Old Norse gat opening
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 molecular mechanism controlling the flow of a fluid, ion, or molecule through a channel especially in 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)