In thd book it always says that romeo and juliet were star crossed lovers...i know this had to do with predistined fate...what really is fate in the book? What does that mean?

This play is a tragedy combined with the fact that the prologue tells us what is going to happen. The dramatic irony is almost palpable. Was their demise destined to happen? Could the two lovers change their fate? Well, apparently not but Shakespeare wants us to consider how these two young lovers might have changed their fate and alter their demise.