-gate, comb. form
Etymology: Part of the name Watergate: see note s.v. Watergate n.3 2.
orig. and chiefly U.S.
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:
1. 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.
1973 National 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.
1975 Mod. People 1 Oct. 1
(heading)
Shocking Dallasgate revealed.
1976 Guardian 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’.
1978 Newsweek 23 Jan. 55/3
Rumors of a coverup spread, and journalists scurried to investigate what some were already calling Hollywoodgate.
1978 Maclean's 9 Oct. 66
(caption)
Thorpe and Whitehall-gate: how the Establishment works.
1986 Independent 10 Dec. 12/3
It is all too easy for Mr Reagan..to see ‘Irangate’ purely in domestic American terms.
1973—1986(Hide quotations)
2. The proper name, nickname, etc., of a person or organization implicated in the scandal, as Billygate, Floodgate, Totegate, etc.
1975 Wall St. Jrnl. 24 Apr. 1/6
(heading)
Motorgate: how a floating corpse led to a fraud inquiry and ousters by GM.
1977 N.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.
1978 Time 6 Mar. 21/2
Many friends of Flood's will probably be touched by the investigation, which is already becoming known as ‘Floodgate’.
1978 Observer 10 Dec. 5/1
The South African Government easily defeated..an attempt..to force its resignation over ‘Muldergate’—the Information Department scandal.
1979 Observer 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.
1980 Newsweek 18 Aug. 81/1
The unfolding tale of Billy Carter and his Libyan connection—an affair that many big-city dailies still call ‘Billygate’.
1983 Tuscaloosa
(Alabama)
News 11 July 4/2
It seems to me absurd—on the basis of what we know now—to equate ‘Cartergate’ with ‘Watergate’.
1986 Marxism 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.
1975—1986(Hide quotations)
3. A common noun (or occasionally another part of speech) that specifies the commodity, activity, etc., at the centre of the scandal.
1973 Sat. Rev. World
(U.S.)
20 Nov. 45/1
Inevitably, the brouhaha of Bordeaux became known as Wine-gate.
1975 Time 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’.
1976 Tuscaloosa
(Alabama)
News 11 Apr. d14/7
Farmers in Zuiderveen's Missaukee County have distributed bumper stickers that say ‘PBB: Cattlegate bigger than Watergate.’
1978 Time 2 Oct. 43/1
The affair that Britons were dubbing ‘Oilgate’ threatened to reach into the highest places.
1983 Wall St. Jrnl. 8 July 20/2
‘Hearingsgate’ is now before the House ethics committee.
1983 Tuscaloosa
(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.
1973—1983(Hide quotations)