[GATE sb.2] north. and Sc.

1

  1.  A channel for water, a watercourse.

2

1368–9.  Durham Acc. Rolls (Surtees), 575. In exp. factis pro uno Watergat pro minera de Raynton, 8li. 17s. 4d.

3

1408.  Durham Acc. Roll, in Eng. Hist. Rev., XIV. 517. Soluta … laborariis, operantibus et facientibus unum Watergate extendentem de Heribourne usque dictum forgeum.

4

1417.  Engl. Misc. (Surtees), 13. And bryng of his coste the watergate overthwarte at the ende of the same newe house.

5

1447.  Script. tres (Surtees), App. p. cccxiii. Alsa the said John [etc.] sall … labour and wyn a watergate for wynnyng of cole in the same colepit.

6

1668.  Yorks. Deeds (Yorks. Arch. Soc., Rec. Ser.), II. 115. To carry a sufficient sough and water-gate through the demised ground.

7

a. 1800.  Jamie Telfer, xii. in Child, Ballads, V. 250/1. Now Jamie is up the water-gate, Een as fast as he can drie.

8

  2.  Sc. ‘An act of voiding urine’ (Jam.). Hence in fig. phrase (cf. WATER sb. 18 c).

9

1721.  J. Kelly, Sc. Prov., 396. I’ll watch your Watergate. That is, I’ll watch for an Advantage over you.

10