to stand in the gates

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

1.A large door or passageway in the wall of a city, of an inclosed field or place, or of a grand edifice, etc.; also, the movable structure of timber, metal, etc., by which the passage can be closed. [1913 Webster]

2.An opening for passage in any inclosing wall, fence, or barrier; or the suspended framework which closes or opens a passage. Also, figuratively, a means or way of entrance or of exit. [1913 Webster]

Knowest thou the way to Dover? Both stile and gate, horse way and footpath.— Shak.[1913 Webster]

Opening a gate for a long war.— Knolles.[1913 Webster]

3.A door, valve, or other device, for stopping the passage of water through a dam, lock, pipe, etc. [1913 Webster]

4.(Script.) The places which command the entrances or access; hence, place of vantage; power; might. [1913 Webster]

The gates of hell shall not prevail against it.— Matt. xvi. 18.[1913 Webster]

5.In a lock tumbler, the opening for the stump of the bolt to pass through or into. [1913 Webster]

6.(Founding) (a) The channel or opening through which metal is poured into the mold; the ingate. (b) The waste piece of metal cast in the opening; a sprue or sullage piece. [Written also geat and git.] [1913 Webster]

Gate chamber, a recess in the side wall of a canal lock, which receives the opened gate.

Gate channel. See Gate, 5.

Gate hook, the hook-formed piece of a gate hinge.

Gate money, entrance money for admission to an inclosure.

Gate tender, one in charge of a gate, as at a railroad crossing.

Gate valva, a stop valve for a pipe, having a sliding gate which affords a straight passageway when open.

Gate vein (Anat.), the portal vein.

To break gates (Eng. Univ.), to enter a college inclosure after the hour to which a student has been restricted.

To stand in the gate or To stand in the gates, to occupy places or advantage, power, or defense. [1913 Webster]