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 piece or plate of this rock or a similar material, used esp. for roofing or as a writing surface.
3.
a dull, dark bluish gray.
4.
a list of candidates, officers, etc., to be considered for nomination, appointment, election, or the like.
–verb (used with object)
5.
to cover with or as with slate.
6.
to write or set down for nomination or appointment: the district leader slated for city judge.
7.
to plan or designate (something) for a particular place and time; schedule: The premiere was slated for January.
8.
to censure or criticize harshly or violently; scold.
9.
to punish severely.
—Idiom
10.
clean slate, an unsullied record; a record marked by creditable conduct: to start over with a clean slate.
[Origin: 1300–50; ME sclate < MF esclate, fem. of esclat piece split off; see slat1]
c.1340, from O.Fr. esclate, fem. of esclat "split piece, splinter" (Fr. éclat, see slat), so called because the rock splits easily into thin plates. As a color, first recorded 1882. Sense of "a writing tablet" (made of slate), first recorded c.1391, led to that of "list of candidates," first recorded 1842. The verb meaning "propose, schedule" is recorded from 1883; sense of "nominate" is attested from 1804. Clean slate (1868) originally referred to scores chalked up in a tavern.
(a piece of) a type of easily split rock of a dull blue-grey colour, used for roofing etc Example: Slates fell off the roof in the wind; (also adjective) a slate roof
Arabic:
صَخْر الأرْدِواز
Chinese (Simplified):
石板瓦
Chinese (Traditional):
石板瓦
Czech:
(z) břidlice
Danish:
skifer; skifer-
Dutch:
lei
Estonian:
kiltkivi, kiltkivist
Finnish:
savikivi, kattolaatta
French:
(d')ardoise
German:
die Schieferplatte, Schiefer-…
Greek:
σχιστόλιθος, πέτρινη πλάκα
Hungarian:
pala
Icelandic:
þakskífa (flöguberg)
Indonesian:
kepingan batu
Japanese:
粘板岩(の)
Korean:
점판암, 슬레이트
Latvian:
šīferis; šīfera-
Lithuanian:
skalūnas
Norwegian:
skifer
Polish:
łupek, dachówka łupkowa
Portuguese (Brazil):
ardósia, lousa
Portuguese (Portugal):
lousa
Russian:
сланец; шифер
Slovak:
bridlica; bridlicový
Slovenian:
skril(avec)
Spanish:
pizarra
Swedish:
skiffer, takskiffer
Turkish:
kayağan taşı
slate2[sleit]noun
a small writing-board made of this, used by schoolchildren
Arabic:
لَوْح كتابَة من صَخْر الأرْدِواز
Chinese (Simplified):
（写字用的）石板
Chinese (Traditional):
(寫字用的)石板
Czech:
břidlicová tabulka
Danish:
tavle
Dutch:
lei
Estonian:
(kiltkivist) tahvel
Finnish:
kivitaulu
French:
ardoise
German:
die Schiefertafel
Greek:
μαθητική πλάκα για γράψιμο
Hungarian:
palatábla
Icelandic:
krítartafla
Indonesian:
batu tulis
Japanese:
石板
Korean:
(필기용) 석판
Latvian:
šīfera tāfele
Lithuanian:
grifelinė lentelė
Norwegian:
tavle
Polish:
tabliczka
Portuguese (Brazil):
lousa
Portuguese (Portugal):
lousa
Russian:
грифельная доска
Slovak:
bridlicová tabuľka
Slovenian:
tablica iz skrila
Spanish:
pizarra
Swedish:
griffeltavla
Turkish:
yaz-boz tahtası
slate[sleit]verb
to say harsh things to or about Example: The new play was slated by the critics.
slateAudio Help (slāt) Pronunciation Key
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.
Slate Spring, MS (village, FIPS 68280) Location: 33.74263 N, 89.37312 W Population (1990): 118 (57 housing units) Area: 3.7 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Slat\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Slatted; p. pr. & vb. n. Slatting.] [OE. slatten; cf. Icel. sletta to slap, to dab.]1. To slap; to strike; to beat; to throw down violently. [Prov. Eng. & Colloq. U.S.] How did you kill him? Slat[t]ed his brains out. --Marston. 2. To split; to crack. [Prov. Eng.] --Halliwell. 3. To set on; to incite. See 3d Slate. [Prov. Eng.]
Slate\, n. [OE. slat, OF. esclat a shiver, splinter, F. ['e]clat, fr. OF. esclater to shiver, to chip, F. ['e]clater, fr. OHG. sliezen to tear, slit, split, fr. sl[=i]zan to slit, G. schleissen. See Slit, v. t., and cf. Eclat.]1. (Min.) An argillaceous rock which readily splits into thin plates; argillite; argillaceous schist. 2. Any rock or stone having a slaty structure. 3. A prepared piece of such stone. Especially: (a) A thin, flat piece, for roofing or covering houses, etc. (b) A tablet for writing upon. 4. An artificial material, resembling slate, and used for the above purposes. 5. A thin plate of any material; a flake. [Obs.] 6. (Politics) A list of candidates, prepared for nomination or for election; a list of candidates, or a programme of action, devised beforehand. [Cant, U.S.] --Bartlett. Adhesive slate (Min.), a kind of slate of a greenish gray color, which absorbs water rapidly, and adheres to the tongue; whence the name. Aluminous slate, or Alum slate (Min.), a kind of slate containing sulphate of alumina, -- used in the manufacture of alum. Bituminous slate (Min.), a soft species of sectile clay slate, impregnated with bitumen. Hornblende slate (Min.), a slaty rock, consisting essentially of hornblende and feldspar, useful for flagging on account of its toughness. Slate ax or axe, a mattock with an ax end, used in shaping slates for roofs, and making holes in them for the nails. Slate clay (Geol.), an indurated clay, forming one of the alternating beds of the coal measures, consisting of an infusible compound of alumina and silica, and often used for making fire bricks. --Tomlinson. Slate globe, a globe the surface of which is made of an artificial slatelike material. Slate pencil, a pencil of slate, or of soapstone, used for writing on a slate. Slate rocks (Min.), rocks which split into thin lamin[ae], not necessarily parallel to the stratification; foliated rocks. Slate spar (Min.), a variety of calcite of silvery white luster and of a slaty structure. Transparent slate, a plate of translucent material, as ground glass, upon which a copy of a picture, placed beneath it, can be made by tracing.
Slate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Slated; p. pr. & vb. n. Slating.]1. To cover with slate, or with a substance resembling slate; as, to slate a roof; to slate a globe. 2. To register (as on a slate and subject to revision), for an appointment. [Polit. Cant]
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Audio Help [sleyt] Pronunciation Key noun, verb, slat·ed, slat·ing. 
