Mate vs Might - What's the difference?
mate | might |
A fellow, comrade, colleague, partner or someone with whom something is shared, e.g. shipmate, classmate.
(especially of a non-human animal) A breeding partner.
(colloquial, British, Australia, New Zealand) A friend, usually of the same sex.
(colloquial, British, Australia, New Zealand) a colloquial "sir"; an informal and friendly term of address to a stranger, usually male
(nautical) In naval ranks, a non-commissioned officer or his subordinate (e.g. (w, Boatswain's Mate), (w, Gunner's Mate), Sailmaker's Mate, etc).
(nautical) A ship's officer, subordinate to the master on a commercial ship.
(nautical) A first mate.
A technical assistant in certain trades (e.g. gasfitter's mate'', ''plumber's mate ); sometimes an apprentice.
The other member of a matched pair of objects.
A suitable companion; a match; an equal.
* Milton
To match, fit together without space between.
To copulate.
To pair in order to raise offspring
To arrange in matched pairs.
To introduce (animals) together for the purpose of breeding.
To marry; to match (a person).
* Shakespeare
To match oneself against; to oppose as equal; to compete with.
* Francis Bacon
* Shakespeare
To fit (objects) together without space between.
(aerospace) To move (a space shuttle orbiter) onto the back of an aircraft that can carry it.
To win a game of chess by putting the opponent in checkmate
To confuse; to confound.
(uncountable) Power, strength, force or influence held by a person or group.
(uncountable) Physical strength.
(uncountable) The ability to do something.
Mighty; powerful; possible.
(lb) Used to indicate conditional or possible actions.
:
* Bishop Joseph Hall
*
*:“A tight little craft,” was Austin’s invariable comment on the matron;. ¶ Near her wandered her husband, orientally bland, invariably affable, and from time to time squinting sideways, as usual, in the ever-renewed expectation that he might catch a glimpse of his stiff, retroussé moustache.
*{{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-07, author=David Simpson
, volume=188, issue=26, page=36, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly)
, title= (lb) (may) Used to indicate permission in past tense.
:
(lb) (may) Used to indicate possibility in past tense.
:
*, chapter=1
, title= *{{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)
, chapter=19
As verbs the difference between mate and might
is that mate is while might is (lb) used to indicate conditional or possible actions.As a noun might is
(uncountable) power, strength, force or influence held by a person or group.As an adjective might is
mighty; powerful; possible.mate
English
Etymology 1
From (etyl), from (etyl) ). More at (l), (l).Noun
(en noun)- I'm going to the pub with a few mates .
- He's my best mate .
- Excuse me, mate , have you got the time?
- ''I found one of the socks I wanted to wear, but I couldn't find its mate .
- Ye knew me once no mate / For you; there sitting where you durst not soar.
Synonyms
(checksyns) * fellow * friend * buddy * sir * partner * See alsoDerived terms
(Derived terms) * bedmate * bunkmate * cellmate * classmate * crewmate * flatmate * floormate * housemate * mateship * office mate * roommate * shipmate * teammate * tourmate * workmateVerb
- The pieces of the puzzle mate perfectly.
- If she be mated with an equal husband.
- There is no passion in the mind of man so weak but it mates and masters the fear of death.
- I, / Dare mate a sounder man than Surrey can be.
Synonyms
(checksyns) * couple * match * pairAntonyms
* (aerospace) demateDerived terms
* matingEtymology 2
From (etyl) verb maten, (etyl) mater, from (etyl) noun .Verb
- (Shakespeare)
Etymology 3
SeeAnagrams
* * * * ----might
English
(wikipedia might)Etymology 1
From (etyl) might, myghte, (also maught, macht, maht), from (etyl) miht, mieht, meaht, .Noun
(-)- He pushed with all his might , but still it would not move.
Adjective
(er)Etymology 2
From (etyl) meahte, from magan, whence English may.Verb
(head)- The characterism of an honest man: He looks not to what he might do, but what he should.
Fantasy of navigation, passage=It is tempting to speculate about the incentives or compulsions that might explain why anyone would take to the skies in [the] basket [of a balloon]: perhaps out of a desire to escape the gravity of this world or to get a preview of the next;
Mr. Pratt's Patients, chapter=1 , passage=I stumbled along through the young pines and huckleberry bushes. Pretty soon I struck into a sort of path that, I cal'lated, might lead to the road I was hunting for. It twisted and turned, and, the first thing I knew, made a sudden bend around a bunch of bayberry scrub and opened out into a big clear space like a lawn.}}
citation, passage=Meanwhile Nanny Broome was recovering from her initial panic and seemed anxious to make up for any kudos she might have lost, by exerting her personality to the utmost. She took the policeman's helmet and placed it on a chair, and unfolded his tunic to shake it and fold it up again for him.}}