subs. (colloquial).—1. The attendance at a race or athletic meeting, held in enclosed grounds; the number of persons who pass the gate.
1888. The Sportsman, 20 Dec. The Birmingham man, on account of the large GATE that would be secured, wanted the affair to be brought off in that town, whereas Regan favoured Wolverhampton.
2. Money paid for admission to athletic sports, race course, etc.; the same as GATE-MONEY (q.v.).
1891. Telegraph, 21 March. The leading clubs are now commercial corporations, dependent for revenue on the GATES at the matches.
3. In pl. (university).—The being forbidden to pass outside the gate of a college. See verb, sense 1.
1862. REV. E. BRADLEY (‘Cuthbert Bede’), Tales of College Life, p. 19. That’s the ticket; that will just land me in time for GATES.
1881. A. LANG, XXXII Ballades in Blue China, ‘Ballade of the Summer Term.’ When Freshmen are heedless of ‘GREATS.’
Verb. (university).—To confine wholly or during certain hours within the college gate for some infraction of discipline.
1835. The Snobiad (C. WHIBLEY, ed. In Cap and Gown, p. 144).
| Two Proctors kindly holding either arm, | |
| Staunch the dark blood, and GATE him for the term. |
1853. REV. E. BRADLEY (‘Cuthbert Bede’), The Adventures of Mr. Verdant Green, an Oxford Freshman, I., ch. xii. He won’t hurt you much, Gig-lamps! GATE and chapel you.
1861. T. HUGHES, Tom Brown at Oxford, ch. xii. Now you’ll both be GATED probably, and the whole crew will be thrown out of gear.
1865. Cornhill Magazine, p. 227. He is requested to confine himself to college after a specified hour, which is familiarly termed being GATED.
1870. Morning Advertiser, 23 May. The two least culpable of the party have been GATED.
THE GATE, subs. phr. (various).—Among fishmongers, Billingsgate; among thieves, Newgate. Cf., LANE, ROW, GARDEN, etc.
1877. W. H. THOMSON, Five Years’ Penal Servitude, i. 5. The ‘steel,’ a slang name for one of the large metropolitan prisons, as the ‘GATE’ is for Newgate.
TO BREAK GATES, verb. phr.—(university).—To stay out of college after hours.
TO BE AT GATES, verb. phr. (Winchester College).—To assemble in Seventh Chamber passage, preparatory to going Hills or Cathedral.
1866. MANSFIELD, School-Life at Winchester College, p. 149. Soon after morning chapel on a holiday or a remedy all the boys assembled at GATES.
ON THE GATE, adv. phr. (thieves’).—On remand.
