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Sailor vs Mate - What's the difference?

sailor | mate |

As nouns the difference between sailor and mate

is that sailor is one who follows the business of navigating ships or other vessels; one who understands the practical management of ships; one of the crew of a vessel; a mariner; a common seaman while mate is a fellow, comrade, colleague, partner or someone with whom something is shared, e.g. shipmate, classmate.

As a verb mate is

to match, fit together without space between.

sailor

English

Alternative forms

* (l) (obsolete)

Noun

(en noun)
  • One who follows the business of navigating ships or other vessels; one who understands the practical management of ships; one of the crew of a vessel; a mariner; a common seaman.

    • Derived terms

    * mouth of a sailor

    See also

    * ("sailor" on Wikipedia) * lascar

    Anagrams

    *

    mate

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl), from (etyl) ). More at (l), (l).

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • 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.
    • I'm going to the pub with a few mates .
    He's my best mate .
  • (colloquial, British, Australia, New Zealand) a colloquial "sir"; an informal and friendly term of address to a stranger, usually male
    • Excuse me, mate , have you got the time?
  • (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.
    • ''I found one of the socks I wanted to wear, but I couldn't find its mate .
  • A suitable companion; a match; an equal.
  • * Milton
    • Ye knew me once no mate / For you; there sitting where you durst not soar.
    Synonyms
    (checksyns) * fellow * friend * buddy * sir * partner * See also
    Derived terms
    (Derived terms) * bedmate * bunkmate * cellmate * classmate * crewmate * flatmate * floormate * housemate * mateship * office mate * roommate * shipmate * teammate * tourmate * workmate

    Verb

  • To match, fit together without space between.
    • The pieces of the puzzle mate perfectly.
  • 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
    • If she be mated with an equal husband.
  • To match oneself against; to oppose as equal; to compete with.
  • * Francis Bacon
    • There is no passion in the mind of man so weak but it mates and masters the fear of death.
  • * Shakespeare
    • I, / Dare mate a sounder man than Surrey can be.
  • To fit (objects) together without space between.
  • (aerospace) To move (a space shuttle orbiter) onto the back of an aircraft that can carry it.
    • Synonyms
    (checksyns) * couple * match * pair
    Antonyms
    * (aerospace) demate
    Derived terms
    * mating

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) verb maten, (etyl) mater, from (etyl) noun .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (chess) Short for checkmate.

    • Verb

  • To win a game of chess by putting the opponent in checkmate
  • To confuse; to confound.
    • (Shakespeare)

    Etymology 3

    See

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • ).
  • The abovementioned plant; the leaves and shoots used for the tea

    • Anagrams

    * * * * ----