Refine this word faster

Stronger alternatives Opposite tone Use in context Cross-language nuance

Slate

//sleɪt// adj, name, noun, verb, slang

Definitions

Adjective

1
Having the bluish-grey colour of slate (noun etymology 1 sense 4).

Proper Noun

1
A surname.

Noun

1
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. countable, uncountable
"Some of the minor Welsh 2 ft. gauge railways, we hear from Mr. N. F. G. Dalston, are enjoying a miniature boom owing to the demand for slate for the repair of damaged roofs."
2
Synonym of slating (“a harsh criticism”). dated, transitive
"[Thomas] Carlyle's savage "slate" of him [Frederick Marryat] is unjust to a degree which can only be palliated by the fact that it was founded on a hasty reading of his books in the evil days after the loss of the manuscript of the French Revolution."
3
A dirty or slovenly person. Northern-England, Scotland, archaic, derogatory, obsolete, rare, transitive
"Had aff [hold off], quoth ſhe, ye filthy Slate, / Ye ſtink o' Leeks, O figh!"
4
(formerly) a writing tablet made of slate wordnet
5
A flake or piece of certain types of stone that tend to cleave into thin layers.; A piece of other material used as a roofing tile. countable, uncountable

Show 13 more definitions

6
a list of candidates nominated by a political party to run for election to public offices wordnet
7
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. broadly, countable, uncountable
"He wrote all down one side of the slate and all up the other, and then remarked--"As there's no time to finish that, The time has come to have our chat.""
8
a fine-grained metamorphic rock that can be split into thin layers wordnet
9
Synonym of tablet computer (“a hand-held portable computer in the form of a tablet with a touch screen interface”). broadly, countable, uncountable
"Hearing Steve Ballmer and others talk about the availability of Windows 8 on slates, laptops, netbooks, notebooks, and screens from 7 to 70 inches might lead us to believe that Microsoft is attempting to gain market share solely through […]"
10
thin layers of rock used for roofing wordnet
11
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. broadly, countable, uncountable
12
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”).; Information about a film recording which is inserted at the start of the recording, or printed on a videotape label etc. broadly, countable, uncountable
13
A record, for example, of money owed. countable, figuratively, uncountable
"Put it on my slate—I’ll pay you next week."
14
A range of things; also, a schedule. US, countable, figuratively, uncountable
"The Chairman James Kaplan tended to his busy slate of record and film projects, while Mia, too, actively sought movie work, somewhat to her husband's chagrin."
15
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. US, countable, figuratively, uncountable
"Like many independents that have established a strong if narrow niche, Central Park says it prospers when "A" titles are in short supply, but Pascuzzi much prefers a crowded slate because of trickle-down economics."
16
A group or list of candidates for appointment or election to an office; also, a group of candidates or electors with affiliated political views. US, countable, figuratively, uncountable
"Ice is one of a slate of young, idealistic candidates for Move Forward who have joined mainstream politics in the hope that this election allows Thailand to break the cycle of military coups […]"
17
A fine-grained homogeneous sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash which has been metamorphosed so that it cleaves easily into thin layers. uncountable
"The Penrhyn slate quarry possibly dates back to the sixteenth century, as it appears that in 1580 Sion Tudor asked the Bishop of Bangor for a shipload of slate."
18
A fine-grained homogeneous sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash which has been metamorphosed so that it cleaves easily into thin layers.; The bluish-grey colour of most slate (etymology 1 sense 4). uncountable

Verb

1
To cover (a building, or part of a building such as a floor or roof) with slates (noun etymology 1 sense 1.1). transitive
"The old church ledgers show that the roof was slated in 1775."
2
To scold (someone) harshly; to chastise, to excoriate, to lambaste. transitive
""I'm awfully sorry if I gave it to her too hot; she deserved it; but i did not want to be a brute." / "But you were," said Pattie with grave regret. / "If I was, Val slated me hard enough. So we may cry quits over that!" said Gip, her gleam of repentance passing into space and her naughty passions once more triumphant."
3
To set (one or more dogs) on a person or animal; to sic. Northern-England, Scotland, transitive
4
designate or schedule wordnet
5
To write (something) on a writing slate (noun etymology 1 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. US, figuratively, transitive

Show 13 more definitions

6
To scold (someone) harshly; to chastise, to excoriate, to lambaste.; To criticize or critique (an author or a work) harshly; to castigate. UK, transitive
"The play was slated by the critics."
7
To set one or more dogs on (a person or animal). Northern-England, Scotland, transitive
8
cover with slate wordnet
9
To write (something) on a writing slate (noun etymology 1 sense 2.1).; To expect (something) with a (strong) degree of certainty; to anticipate, to predict. US, figuratively, transitive
"The next version of our software is slated to be the best release ever."
10
To treat (an enemy) harshly. slang, transitive
"Now we shall get "slated," I thought, if there is any one there: a few good shots might have picked off every one on deck."
11
enter on a list or slate for an election wordnet
12
To write (something) on a writing slate (noun etymology 1 sense 2.1).; To plan or schedule (something). US, figuratively, transitive
"The election was slated for November 2nd."
13
To beat or thrash (someone) harshly. slang, transitive
""Does John Barker live here?" asks Thurnall, putting his head in cautiously for fear of drunken Irishmen, who might be seized with the national impulse to "slate" him."
14
To provide synchronization information about (a scene, take, etc., of a film recording) using a slate (noun etymology 1 sense 2.3.1). transitive
"Why You Want to Slate your Shots"
15
To knock the hat of (someone) forward over their eyes as a joke. UK, obsolete, transitive
"Another point of amusement is flying a tile or slating a man, as the phrases of the Stock Exchange describe it. […] One who was foremost in slating his brothers, or kicking about a new castor, had himself just sported a new hat, but, […] he would leave his new tile at the counting-house, and proceed to the Stock Exchange in an old one kept for the purpose: this becoming known to some of the wags, members of the house, they despatched a note and obtained the new hat, which no sooner made its appearance in the house than it was thrown up for general sport; […]"
16
To scrape (an animal hide) with a slater (“blade originally made of slate”) to remove hairs. transitive
17
To cover a building, or part of a building with slates (noun etymology 1 sense 1.1). intransitive
18
To provide a film recording with synchronization information, especially using a slate (noun etymology 1 sense 2.3.1). intransitive

Etymology

Etymology 1

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.

Etymology 2

Etymology 3

Etymology 4

The verb is probably derived from slate (“flake or piece of certain types of stone that tend to cleave into thin layers; fine-grained homogeneous sedimentary rock which cleaves easily into thin layers”, noun) (etymology 1; possibly alluding to the sharpness of such rock). The noun is derived from the verb.

Etymology 5

Etymology 6

From Middle English slaiten, slat, slate (“to set (a dog) on an animal”), from Old Norse *sleita, possibly related to Proto-Germanic *slītaną (“to tear apart”), further etymology unknown.

Etymology 7

Possibly borrowed from Scots slait, slate (“dirty, slovenly, or objectionable person”), further etymology unknown.

Etymology 8

Metonymic occupational surname for a slater.

Next best steps

Find stronger synonyms See usage examples Check pronunciation

Mini challenge

Unscramble this word: slate