gate

an opening in a wall or fence

The first known use: before the 12th century

Word Structure

4 Letters, 1 Syllable

gate

3 Phonemes

g A t

onset, rime

g ate

Morpheme

gate

Common Phrases

a creaking gate hangs longest

Sick people often outlive healthy people.

be (the) first out (of) the gate

To be the first or earliest to do something.

be given the gate

To be dismissed or spurned.

crash the gate

To attend an event, such as a concert, sports match, or party, without being invited or paying to get in.

gatecrasher

One who attends an event, such as a concert, sports match, or party, without being invited or paying to get in.

get out of the gate(s) early

To take action in the early stages of some situation or process.

get the gate

To be dismissed or spurned.

give (one) the (old) heave-ho

To dismiss or reject one. "Heave-ho" refers to the literal lifting and tossing of an object, used figuratively in this sense.

give (one) the brush-off

To reject, snub, ignore, or rebuff one.

give (someone) the gate

To be fired from one's job.

late out of the gate

Slow to take action or start something.

like a bull at a gate

Very quickly and rashly; hastily, without careful thinking or planning.

out (of) the (starting) gate

At or from the very starting position.

the gate

A rejection, dismissal, or refusal. Usually used after "get" or "give."

the Gates of Hell

Literally, the entrance to Hell, the place of eternal punishment as depicted in the Christian religion.

the pearly gates

The gates of heaven. The phrase originates from a passage about heaven in the book of Revelation. Sometimes capitalized.

Related Words

Sound the same but are spelled differently.

Collocations

The habitual juxtaposition of a particular word with another word or words with a frequency greater than chance.

Neighborhood

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