Emily Dickinson Lexicon

GATE, n. [Sax. gate, geat; Ir. geata; Scot. gait. The Goth. gatwo, Dan. gade, Sw. gata, G. gasse, Sans. gaut, is a way or street. In D. gat is a gap or channel. If the radical letters are Gd or Gt, it may be connected with gad, to go, as it signifies a passage.]

1. A large door which gives entrance into a walled city, a castle, a temple, palace or other large edifice. It differs from door chiefly in being larger. Gate signifies both the opening or passage, and the frame of boards, planks or timber which closes the passage.
2. A frame of timber which opens or closes a passage into any court, garden or other inclosed ground; also, the passage.
3. The frame which shuts or stops the passage of water through a dam into a flume.
4. An avenue; an opening; a way. Knolles. In Scripture, figuratively, power, dominion. "Thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;" that is, towns and fortresses. Gen. xxii. The gates of hell, are the power and dominion of the devil and his instruments. Matth. xvi. The gates of death, are the brink of the grave. Ps. ix.