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Meaning & use

first mates

noun·Advanced

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UK/ˌfɜːst ˈmeɪts/
US/ˌfɝːst ˈmeɪts/

“first mates” is a form of “first mate”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.

Meanings

  1. nounpluraltechnical

    Plural of first mate: officers on a merchant ship who rank directly below the captain and manage the crew and deck work.

    Grammar: Plural of the countable noun first mate: several first mates serve on a fleet.

    Patterns

    • the first mates of the fleet

    The shipping line trains first mates for years before they become captains.

    Two first mates from the fleet attended the safety meeting.

    Many first mates dream of commanding their own vessel.

  2. nounpluralfigurativehumorous

    Plural of first mate: trusted helpers or partners who assist another person in an activity or adventure.

    Grammar: Informal and playful when used outside ships.

    Patterns

    • first mates to someone

    The twins are my first mates on every camping trip.

    Our dogs act as first mates on the sailing weekends.

    At the school fair, the older students were first mates to the organizers.

Common combinations

experienced first mates
The ship hired experienced first mates for the long crossing.
train first mates
The academy trains first mates and captains.
licensed first mates
Only licensed first mates may take the watch.
trusted first mates
Pirate legends feature trusted first mates and ruthless captains.
first mates and deckhands
First mates and deckhands lined up for inspection.

Synonyms and how they differ

deputies
Deputies are second-in-command in any organization, while first mates belong to ships.
chief officers
Chief officer is the formal title on large commercial ships, whereas first mate is the more common everyday term.
lieutenants
Lieutenants hold a military rank, while first mates hold a role in merchant or sailing crews.
right-hand men
Right-hand men describes any close assistants and is not tied to ships.

Opposites

captainsdeckhands

Word family

first mate noun
the singular form
mate noun
a ship's officer, or a friend or companion
second mate noun
the officer ranking below the first mate
shipmate noun
a person who serves on the same ship

Commonly confused: first mates or first-rate? first mates or soulmates?

first mates vs first-rate

First-rate means of the best quality and has nothing to do with ship roles.

first mates vs soulmates

Soulmates are people deeply suited to each other, while first mates are ship officers or helpers.

Practice

On the cargo ship, the captain relies on two ____ who supervise the crew and watch schedules.

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