The difference between Friend and Mate

When used as nouns, friend means a person other than a family member, spouse or lover whose company one enjoys and towards whom one feels affection, whereas mate means a fellow, comrade, colleague, partner or someone with whom something is shared, e.g. shipmate, classmate.

When used as verbs, friend means to act as a friend to, to befriend, whereas mate means to match, fit together without space between.

check bellow for the other definitions of Friend and Mate

  1. Friend as a noun:

    A person other than a family member, spouse or lover whose company one enjoys and towards whom one feels affection.

    Examples:

    "John and I have been friends ever since we were roommates at college. Trust is important between friends. I used to find it hard to make friends when I was shy."

  2. Friend as a noun:

    A boyfriend or girlfriend.

  3. Friend as a noun:

    An associate who provides assistance.

    Examples:

    "The Automobile Association is every motorist's friend. The police is every law-abiding citizen's friend."

  4. Friend as a noun:

    A person with whom one is vaguely or indirectly acquainted

    Examples:

    "a friend of a friend; I added him as a friend on Facebook, but I hardly know him."

  5. Friend as a noun:

    A person who backs or supports something.

    Examples:

    "I’m not a friend of cheap wine."

  6. Friend as a noun (informal):

    An object or idea that can be used for good.

    Examples:

    "Wiktionary is your friend."

  7. Friend as a noun (colloquial, ironic, used only in the [[vocative]]):

    Used as a form of address when warning someone.

    Examples:

    "You’d better watch it, friend."

  8. Friend as a noun (object-oriented programming):

    A function or class granted special access to the private and protected members of another class.

  9. Friend as a noun (climbing):

    A spring-loaded camming device.

  10. Friend as a noun (obsolete):

    A paramour of either sex.

    Examples:

    "rfquotek Shakespeare"

  11. Friend as a noun (Scotland, obsolete):

    A relative.

  1. Friend as a verb (transitive, obsolete):

    To act as a friend to, to befriend; to be friendly to, to help.

  2. Friend as a verb (transitive):

    To add (a person) to a list of friends on a social networking site; to officially designate (someone) as a friend.

  1. Mate as a noun:

    A fellow, comrade, colleague, partner or someone with whom something is shared, e.g. shipmate, classmate.

  2. Mate as a noun (especially of a non-human [[animal]]):

    A breeding partner.

  3. Mate as a noun (colloquial, British, Australia, New Zealand):

    A friend, usually of the same sex.

    Examples:

    "I'm going to the pub with a few mates."

    "He's my best mate."

  4. Mate as a noun (colloquial, British, Australia, New Zealand):

    a colloquial "sir"; an informal and friendly term of address to a stranger, usually male, of similar age

    Examples:

    "Excuse me, mate, have you got the time?"

  5. Mate as a noun (nautical):

    In naval ranks, a non-commissioned officer or his subordinate (e.g. , , Sailmaker's Mate, etc).

  6. Mate as a noun (nautical):

    A ship's officer, subordinate to the master on a commercial ship.

  7. Mate as a noun (nautical):

    A first mate.

  8. Mate as a noun:

    A technical assistant in certain trades (e.g. gasfitter's mate, plumber's mate); sometimes an apprentice.

  9. Mate as a noun:

    The other member of a matched pair of objects.

    Examples:

    "I found one of the socks I wanted to wear, but I couldn't find its mate."

  10. Mate as a noun:

    A suitable companion; a match; an equal.

  1. Mate as a verb (intransitive):

    To match, fit together without space between.

    Examples:

    "The pieces of the puzzle mate perfectly."

  2. Mate as a verb (intransitive):

    To copulate.

  3. Mate as a verb (intransitive):

    To pair in order to raise offspring

  4. Mate as a verb (transitive):

    To arrange in matched pairs.

  5. Mate as a verb (transitive):

    To introduce (animals) together for the purpose of breeding.

  6. Mate as a verb (transitive, of an animal):

    To copulate with.

  7. Mate as a verb (transitive):

    To marry; to match (a person).

  8. Mate as a verb (transitive):

    To match oneself against; to oppose as equal; to compete with.

  9. Mate as a verb (transitive):

    To fit (objects) together without space between.

  10. Mate as a verb (transitive, aerospace):

    To move (a space shuttle orbiter) onto the back of an aircraft that can carry it.

  1. Mate as a noun (chess):

    Short for checkmate.

  1. Mate as a verb (intransitive):

    To win a game of chess by putting the opponent in checkmate

  2. Mate as a verb:

    To confuse; to confound.

    Examples:

    "rfquotek Shakespeare"

  1. Mate as a noun:

    , an aromatic tea-like drink prepared from the holly yerba maté ().

  2. Mate as a noun:

    The abovementioned plant; the leaves and shoots used for the tea

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