General
mate's rates
What does mate's rates mean?
A reduced price offered to a friend or acquaintance.
"He did the plumbing at mate's rates."
Origin
'Mate' plus 'rates'; Australian idiom of the informal economy.
Frequently asked questions
What does 'mate's rates' mean?
It means a discounted or cut price offered to a friend or acquaintance rather than the full going rate.
How does 'mate's rates' work?
A tradesperson or seller charges a friend less than a regular customer as a favour, often for cash and off the books.
Where does 'mate's rates' come from?
It's an Australian idiom combining 'mate' and 'rates', reflecting the informal, favour-based economy of doing deals with friends.
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