| 释义 |
-gate, suffix orig. and chiefly U.S.
[Part of the name Watergate: see note s.v. Watergate3.]
A terminal element denoting an actual or alleged scandal (and usually an attempted cover-up), in some way comparable with the Watergate scandal of 1972. Appended to: a. The name of the place where such a scandal (allegedly) occurred, or that of a place in some way associated with the scandal, as Dallasgate, Hollywoodgate, Irangate, Koreagate, etc.
1973National Lampoon Aug. 27/2 There have been persistent rumors in Russia of a vast scandal... Implicated in ‘the Volgagate’ are a group of liberal officials. 1975Mod. People 1 Oct. 1 (heading) Shocking Dallasgate revealed. 1976Guardian Weekly 5 Dec. 6/2 The continually expanding scandal over the Park regime's influence peddling on Capitol Hill has already been called a ‘Koreagate’. 1978Newsweek 23 Jan. 55/3 Rumors of a coverup spread, and journalists scurried to investigate what some were already calling Hollywoodgate. 1978Maclean's Mag. 9 Oct. 66 (caption) Thorpe and Whitehall-gate: how the Establishment works. 1986Independent 10 Dec. 12/3 It is all too easy for Mr Reagan..to see ‘Irangate’ purely in domestic American terms.
b. The proper name, nickname, etc., of a person or organization implicated in the scandal, as Billygate, Floodgate, Totegate, etc.
1975Wall St. Jrnl. 24 Apr. 1/6 (heading) Motorgate: how a floating corpse led to a fraud inquiry and ousters by GM. 1977N.Y. Times Mag. 16 Oct. 38/1 Lancegate is no Watergate... The Carter men had hardly a month to plan..a downplaying of Bert Lance's problems. 1978Time 6 Mar. 21/2 Many friends of Flood's will probably be touched by the investigation, which is already becoming known as ‘Floodgate’. 1978Observer 10 Dec. 5/1 The South African Government easily defeated..an attempt..to force its resignation over ‘Muldergate’—the Information Department scandal. 1979Ibid. 29 July 4/1 ‘Totegate’..centres on the Tote's practice of collecting off-course bets and sending them for inclusion..at the racecourse up to five minutes after the result of the race is known. 1980Newsweek 18 Aug. 81/1 The unfolding tale of Billy Carter and his Libyan connection—an affair that many big-city dailies still call ‘Billygate’. 1983Tuscaloosa (Alabama) News 11 July 4/2 It seems to me absurd—on the basis of what we know now—to equate ‘Cartergate’ with ‘Watergate’. 1986Marxism Today Sept. 41/3 The current deterioration of the Ulster environment will continue unabated..if future developments significantly touch the RUC (‘Stalkergate’) or the judiciary.
c. A common noun (or occas. another part of speech) that specifies the commodity, activity, etc., at the centre of the scandal.
1973Saturday Rev. World (U.S.) 20 Nov. 45/1 Inevitably, the brouhaha of Bordeaux became known as Wine-gate. 1975Time 18 Aug. 67/2 The suspects allegedly falsified records, fed incriminating evidence through a paper shredder and conducted a cover-up so pervasive that one investigator calls it ‘Ice Cream Gate’. 1976Tuscaloosa (Alabama) News 11 Apr. d14/7 Farmers in Zuiderveen's Missaukee County have distributed bumper stickers that say ‘PBB: Cattlegate bigger than Watergate.’ 1978Time 2 Oct. 43/1 The affair that Britons were dubbing ‘Oilgate’ threatened to reach into the highest places. 1983Wall St. Jrnl. 8 July 20/2 ‘Hearingsgate’ is now before the House ethics committee. 1983Tuscaloosa (Alabama) News 2 Aug. 4/5 In their zeal to pump ‘Altergate’ into a full-blown scandal..Gregg and Hiler charged that..alterations had been made in the transcripts of..other hearings. |