gate

Universal Words noun 1 [C] a barrier like a door that is used to close an opening in a fence or a wall outside a building: an iron gate * He pushed open the garden gate. * A crowd gathered at the factory gates. * the gates of the city seealsoSTARTINGGATE 2 [C] an opening that can be closed by a gate or gates: We drove through the palace gates. 3 [C] a barrier that is used to control the flow of water on a river or canal: a lock / sluice gate 4 [C] a way out of an airport through which passengers go to get on their plane: BA flight 726 to Paris is now boarding at gate 16. 5 [C] the number of people who attend a sports event: Tonight's game has attracted the largest gate of the season. 6 (also gate money) [U] the amount of money made by selling tickets for a sports event: Today's gate will be given to charity. 7 (-gate) (forming nouns from the names of people or places; used especially in newspapers) a political SCANDAL connected with the person or place mentioned: Whitewatergate ORIGIN From Watergate, the scandal in the United States that brought about the resignation of President Nixon in 1974.