first mate
15
5.0
- noun
- /fɜrst meɪt/
- Specialized
:
primer oficial
- During the storm, the first mate took charge of the deck operations.
- first mate on a ship
Kiko Christmas was the captain's name and Gabrielle was the first mate.
- Kiko Christmas was the captain's name and Gabrielle was the first mate.
Examples
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"Hurry along, gentlemen," the first mate called from the top of the stairs.
Fiction book (1992) -
He'd be the captain of the shrimping boat and I'd be his first mate.
Fiction book (1994) -
Well, then, you will need your first mate.
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Now you want to know what the first mate has to say?
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I have a first mate.
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It's what I need in a first mate, more than ever.
Fiction book (1999) -
Now, the first mate, Davey, will take care of the cargo.
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We are awaiting the return of Captain Han Solo and his first mate, Chewbacca.
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Billy Bones is my name, and I was Cap'n Flint's first mate.
Fiction book (2000) -
Faul and the first mate Harral sauntered down the rickety pier toward the shore.
Fiction book (1991)
Synonyms
41
8.0
An officer on a ship who helps the captain with navigation and the crew
Antonyms
How Senior
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase 'first mate' is a straightforward composition of the ordinal 'first' and the occupational noun 'mate', yielding the most senior mate on a ship; the meaning follows a transparent 'ordinal + role' pattern. This is cross-linguistically common and, given the maritime sense of 'mate', a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
First mate comes from old sailing ships. The word mate meant a helper or companion on board and first named the top helper under the captain, so the phrase means the officer just below the captain, the 'second in command'.