slate

¹

[ sleyt ]

noun

1. a fine-grained rock formed by the metamorphosis of clay, shale, etc., that tends to split along parallel cleavage planes, usually at an angle to the planes of stratification.
2. a thin, flat piece or plate of fine-grained, easily split rock or a similar material, used especially for roofing or as a writing surface.
3. slate gray ( def ).
4. a list of candidates, officers, etc., to be considered for nomination, appointment, election, or the like:

   He has added his name to the slate of mayoral candidates.

5. tablet ( def 5 ).

verb (used with object)

, slat·ed, slat·ing.

1. to cover with plates of fine-grained, easily split rock or a similar material:

   Our team has years of experience with slating and tiling roofs.

2. to write or set down for nomination or appointment:

   There are 39 lawyers hoping to be slated for judge.

3. to plan or designate (something) for a particular place and time; schedule:

   The premiere was slated for January.

4. Chiefly British. to censure, scold, or criticize harshly:

   She was slated by the press for making exaggerated claims in her memoir.

5. to punish severely.

slate

²

[ sleyt ]

verb (used with object)

, British Dialect.

, slat·ed, slat·ing.

1. to sic or set a dog on (a person or animal).

slate

¹

/ sleɪt /

verb

1. to criticize harshly; censure
2. to punish or defeat severely

slate

²

/ sleɪt /

noun

1. 1. a compact fine-grained metamorphic rock formed by the effects of heat and pressure on shale. It can be split into thin layers along natural cleavage planes and is used as a roofing and paving material
   2. ( as modifier )

      a slate tile

2. a roofing tile of slate
3. (formerly) a writing tablet of slate
4. a dark grey colour, often with a purplish or bluish tinge
5. a list of candidates in an election
6. films
   1. the reference information written on a clapperboard
   2. the clapperboard itself
7. clean slate
   clean slate a record without dishonour
8. have a slate loose informal.
   have a slate loose to be eccentric or crazy
9. on the slate informal.
   on the slate on credit
10. wipe the slate clean informal.
    wipe the slate clean to make a fresh start, esp by forgetting past differences

verb

1. to cover (a roof) with slates
2. to enter (a person's name) on a list, esp on a political slate
3. 1. to choose or destine

      he was slated to go far

   2. to plan or schedule

      the trial is slated to begin in three weeks

adjective

1. of the colour slate

slate

/ slāt /

1. A fine-grained metamorphic rock that forms when shale undergoes metamorphosis. Slate splits into thin layers with smooth surfaces. It ranges in color from gray to black or from red to green, depending on the minerals contained in the shale from which it formed.

Word History and Origins

Origin of slate¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English sclate, from Middle French esclate, feminine of esclat “piece split off”; slat ¹

Origin of slate²

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English slaiten, from Old Norse sleita (unrecorded)

Word History and Origins

Origin of slate¹

C19: probably from slate ¹

Origin of slate²

C14: from Old French esclate, from esclat a fragment; see slat ¹

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. clean slate, a record containing no negative reports, notes about bad behavior, reprimands, failures, etc.:

   After a talk with the boss about his misconduct, he was allowed to start over with a clean slate.

More idioms and phrases containing slate

In addition to the idiom beginning with slate , also see clean slate .

Example Sentences

It was originally slated for release in late 2019, said three people familiar with the process, and was delayed in part by the coronavirus pandemic.

From ProPublica

Municipal elections are slated to take place later this year, and electoral courts could use the new law to investigate political parties for improper accumulation and use of data, according to Zanatta of Data Privacy Brasil.

From MIT Technology Review

Lawmakers have known for months that the payment was slated to expire at the end of July, but that deadline came and went.

From FiveThirtyEight

The Heat were set to face a below-average strength of schedule if the regular season had continued apace, but they will now face the league’s second-toughest seeding-game slate.

From FiveThirtyEight

A largely new slate of MTS board members is pushing for reform after years of public complaints about the agency’s aggressive ticketing.

From Voice of San Diego

In any case, I welcome the conversation as part of the review of the upcoming slate that we're doing tomorrow.

From The Daily Beast

Instead of wallowing in comedy exile, Slate was earning a book deal.

From The Daily Beast

So with the doors of late night closed to her, Slate had to scale down her ambitions to raise her profile.

From The Daily Beast

Less than a minute into her big break, Slate let slip a highly audible F-bomb instead of the scripted “freaking.”

From The Daily Beast

Will you work with Jenny Slate, John Daly, John Mulaney, etc. moving forward?

From The Daily Beast

The tower has four clock faces, pinnacles at the angles, and a steep slate roof and is 120 feet high.

From Project Gutenberg

Slate slabs were originally tried for sleepers on the Birmingham and London line.

From Project Gutenberg

John Tubbs was one day doing his sums, when little Sam Jones pushed against him; and down went the slate with a horrid clatter.

From Project Gutenberg

Dinah had left her slate on 10 a chair, and dropped her algebra on the carpet, at the sound of Norahs voice below the window.

From Project Gutenberg

Why send her a picture of a slate-colored cow when a herd of Durhams pastures every day right under her eye?

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• ballot
• roster