Does the "mate" used as a verb in "mate for life"? What does it mean?
Native speaker’s answer
Rebecca
Yes, it is. "Mate," when used as a verb, usually means the copulation or breeding of animals. To "mate for life" means to be a couple or pair until death. Thus, we can understand this sentence to mean that lobsters only have one partner during their lifetime. Ex: Swans are known to mate for life. Ex: There are many animals that mate for life, including the gray wolf and bald eagle.