gate

n. [ OE. &yogh_;et, &yogh_;eat, giat, gate, door, AS. geat, gat, gate, door; akin to OS., D., & Icel. gat opening, hole, and perh. to E. gate a way, gait, and get, v. Cf. Gate a way, 3d Get. ] 1. A large door or passageway in the wall of a city, of an inclosed field or place, or of a grand edifice, etc.; also, the movable structure of timber, metal, etc., by which the passage can be closed. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An opening for passage in any inclosing wall, fence, or barrier; or the suspended framework which closes or opens a passage. Also, figuratively, a means or way of entrance or of exit. [ 1913 Webster ]

Knowest thou the way to Dover?
Both stile and gate, horse way and footpath. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Opening a gate for a long war. Knolles. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A door, valve, or other device, for stopping the passage of water through a dam, lock, pipe, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Script.) The places which command the entrances or access; hence, place of vantage; power; might. [ 1913 Webster ]

The gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Matt. xvi. 18. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. In a lock tumbler, the opening for the stump of the bolt to pass through or into. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Founding) (a) The channel or opening through which metal is poured into the mold; the ingate. (b) The waste piece of metal cast in the opening; a sprue or sullage piece. [ Written also geat and git. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Gate chamber, a recess in the side wall of a canal lock, which receives the opened gate. --
Gate channel. See Gate, 5. --
Gate hook, the hook-formed piece of a gate hinge. --
Gate money, entrance money for admission to an inclosure. --
Gate tender, one in charge of a gate, as at a railroad crossing. --
Gate valva, a stop valve for a pipe, having a sliding gate which affords a straight passageway when open. --
Gate vein (Anat.), the portal vein. --
To break gates (Eng. Univ.), to enter a college inclosure after the hour to which a student has been restricted. --
To stand in the gate or
To stand in the gates, to occupy places or advantage, power, or defense. [ 1913 Webster ]