slate
Meanings
noun
- A flake or piece of certain types of stone that tend to cleave into thin layers.
- A piece of such stone, usually cut into a rectangular shape, used as a tile for flooring, roofing, etc.; (uncountable) such tiles collectively, or the material from which they are made.
- A piece of other material used as a roofing tile.
- A generally rectangular piece, originally of certain types of stone and now of other materials, often in a frame, used for writing on with a thin rod of the same or another stone (a slate pencil) or with chalk; a small chalkboard.
- Synonym of tablet computer (“a hand-held portable computer in the form of a tablet with a touch screen interface”).
- Synonym of clapperboard (“a device consisting of a board on which information about a film being recorded is noted, and a hinged piece which is brought down on the board with a clap at the start and end of each take of the film; it is used to synchronize picture and sound during editing”).
- A sequentially numbered session of recording a film.
- Information about a film recording which is inserted at the start of the recording, or printed on a videotape label etc.
- A record, for example, of money owed.
- A range of things; also, a schedule.
- A collection of films released during a certain period, either from one studio or from a certain film industry (such as Hollywood) as a whole.
- A group or list of candidates for appointment or election to an office; also, a group of candidates or electors with affiliated political views.
adj
- Having the bluish-grey colour of slate (noun etymology 1, noun sense 4).
verb
- To cover (a building, or part of a building such as a floor or roof) with slates (noun etymology 1, noun sense 1.1).
- To write (something) on a writing slate (noun etymology 1, noun sense 2.1).
- To appoint or designate (someone or something); also, to nominate or propose (someone or something); specifically (politics), to nominate or propose (a candidate) for an office.
- To expect (something) with a (strong) degree of certainty; to anticipate, to predict.
- To plan or schedule (something).
- To provide synchronization information about (a scene, take, etc., of a film recording) using a slate (noun etymology 1, noun sense 2.3.1).
- To scrape (an animal hide) with a slater (“blade originally made of slate”) to remove hairs.
- To cover a building, or part of a building with slates (noun etymology 1, noun sense 1.1).
- To provide a film recording with synchronization information, especially using a slate (noun etymology 1, noun sense 2.3.1).
verb
- To scold (someone) harshly; to chastise, to excoriate, to lambaste.
- To criticize or critique (an author or a work) harshly; to castigate.
- To treat (an enemy) harshly.
- To beat or thrash (someone) harshly.
- To knock the hat of (someone) forward over their eyes as a joke.
noun
- Synonym of slating (“a harsh criticism”).
verb
- To set (one or more dogs) on a person or animal; to sic.
- To set one or more dogs on (a person or animal).
noun
- A dirty or slovenly person.
name
- A surname.
Pronunciation
Word forms
Etymology
The noun is derived from Middle English sclate, slat, slate (“type of rock; roofing slate; writing slate”), from Old French esclate, a feminine form of esclat (“broken piece, shard”) (modern French éclat), from Old French esclater (“to break, shatter”), from Frankish *slaitijan (“to split, break”), from Proto-Germanic *slaitijaną, the causative of *slītaną (“to cut up, split”); further etymology unknown (see the Proto-Germanic entry for a discussion). Doublet of éclat and slat. The adjective and verb are derived from the noun.
Synonyms
Related words
Derived words
Translations
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