Word Study
slate
CIDE DICTIONARY
slate, n. [OE. slat, sclat, OF. esclat a shiver, splinter, F. éclat, fr. OF. esclater to shiver, to chip, F. éclater, fr. OHG. sleizen to tear, slit, split, fr. slīzan to slit, G. schleissen. See Slit, v. t. , and cf. Eclat.].
- An argillaceous rock which readily splits into thin plates; argillite; argillaceous schist. [1913 Webster]
- Any rock or stone having a slaty structure. [1913 Webster]
- A prepared piece of such stone. [1913 Webster]
- An artificial material, resembling slate, and used for the above purposes. [1913 Webster]
- A thin plate of any material; a flake. [1913 Webster]
- A list of candidates, prepared for nomination or for election; a list of candidates, or a programme of action, devised beforehand. Bartlett. [1913 Webster]
slate, v. t.
- To cover with slate, or with a substance resembling slate; as, to slate a roof; to slate a globe. [1913 Webster]
- To register (as on a slate and subject to revision), for an appointment. [1913 Webster]
slate, v. t. [Cf. AS. sl a privilege of hunting.].
To set a dog upon; to bait; to slat. See 2d Slat, 3. Ray. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
slate, n., v., & adj.
--n.
1 a fine-grained grey, green, or bluish-purple metamorphic rock easily split into flat smooth plates.
2 a piece of such a plate used as roofing-material.
3 a piece of such a plate used for writing on, usu. framed in wood.
4 the colour of slate.
5 US a list of nominees for office etc.
--v.tr.
1 cover with slates esp. as roofing.
2 Brit. colloq. criticize severely; scold.
3 US make arrangements for (an event etc.).
4 US propose or nominate for office etc.
--adj. made of slate.
--n.
1 a fine-grained grey, green, or bluish-purple metamorphic rock easily split into flat smooth plates.
2 a piece of such a plate used as roofing-material.
3 a piece of such a plate used for writing on, usu. framed in wood.
4 the colour of slate.
5 US a list of nominees for office etc.
--v.tr.
1 cover with slates esp. as roofing.
2 Brit. colloq. criticize severely; scold.
3 US make arrangements for (an event etc.).
4 US propose or nominate for office etc.
--adj. made of slate.
Idiom
on the slate Brit. recorded as a debt to be paid. slate-blue (or -black) a shade of blue (or black) occurring in slate. slate-colour a dark bluish or greenish grey. slate-coloured of this colour. slate-grey a shade of grey occurring in slate. slate-pencil a small rod of soft slate used for writing on slate. wipe the slate clean forgive or cancel the record of past offences.
Derivative
slating n. slaty adj.
Etymology
ME s(c)late f. OF esclate, fem. form of esclat SLAT
THESAURUS
slate
Australian ballot, Indiana ballot, Massachusetts ballot, absentee ballot, agenda, ballot, batting order, bill, bill of fare, blanket ballot, blister, blueprint, board, book, brick, budget, calendar, card, carte du jour, castigate, clapboard, crawl, docket, excoriate, face, glass, glaze, lambaste, lath, line up, lineup, list of agenda, long ballot, menu, nonpartisan ballot, office-block ballot, paper, party emblem, party-column ballot, plank, playbill, program, program of operation, programma, prospectus, protocol, proxy, revet, roster, sample ballot, scarify, scathe, schedule, score, scourge, shake, sheathe, shingle, short ballot, split ticket, stone, straight ticket, thatch, ticket, tile, veneer, wall in, wall up, wallpaper, weatherboardROGET THESAURUS
slate
Writing
N writing, chirography, stelography, cerography, penmanship, craftmanship, quill driving, typewriting, writing, manuscript, MS, literae scriptae, these presents, stroke of the pen, dash of the pen, coupe de plume, line, headline, pen and ink, letter, uncial writing, cuneiform character, arrowhead, Ogham, Runes, hieroglyphic, contraction, Brahmi, Devanagari, Nagari, script, shorthand, stenography, brachygraphy, tachygraphy, secret writing, writing in cipher, cryptography, stenography, phonography, pasigraphy, Polygraphy, logography, copy, transcript, rescript, rough copy, fair copy, handwriting, signature, sign manual, autograph, monograph, holograph, hand, fist, calligraphy, good hand, running hand, flowing hand, cursive hand, legible hand, bold hand, cacography, griffonage, barbouillage, bad hand, cramped hand, crabbed hand, illegible hand, scribble, pattes de mouche, ill-formed letters, pothooks and hangers, stationery, pen, quill, goose quill, pencil, style, paper, foolscap, parchment, vellum, papyrus, tablet, slate, marble, pillar, table, blackboard, ink bottle, ink horn, ink pot, ink stand, ink well, typewriter, transcription, inscription, superscription, graphology, composition, authorship, cacoethes scribendi, graphoidea, graphomania, phrenoia, writer, scribe, amanuensis, scrivener, secretary, clerk, penman, copyist, transcriber, quill driver, stenographer, typewriter, typist, writer for the press, writing, written, in writing, in black and white, under one's hand, uncial, Runic, cuneiform, hieroglyphical, currente calamo, pen in hand, audacter et sincere, le style est l'homme meme, nature's noblest gift - my gray goose quill, scribendi recte sapere et principium et fons, that mighty instrument of little men, the pen became a clarion.Plan
N plan, scheme, design, project, proposal, proposition, suggestion, resolution, motion, precaution, deep- laid plan, system, organization, germ, sketch, skeleton, outline, draught, draft, ebauche, brouillon, rough cast, rough draft, draught copy, copy, proof, revise, drawing, scheme, schematic, graphic, chart, flow chart (representation), forecast, program, programme, prospectus, carte du pays, card, bill, protocol, order of the day, list of agenda, bill of fare, base of operations, platform, plank, slate, ticket, role, policy, contrivance, invention, expedient, receipt, nostrum, artifice, device, pipelaying, stratagem, trick, alternative, loophole, shift, last shift, measure, step, stroke, stroke of policy, master stroke, trump card, court card, cheval de bataille, great gun, coup, coup d'etat, clever stroke, bold stroke, good move, good hit, good stroke, bright thought, bright idea, intrigue, cabal, plot, conspiracy, complot, machination, subplot, underplot, counterplot, schemer, schemist, schematist, strategist, machinator, projector, artist, promoter, designer, conspirator, intrigant, planned, strategic, strategical, planning, prepared, in course of preparation, under consideration, on the tapis, on the carpet, on the floor.Politics
N politics, political science, candidacy, campaign, campaigning, electioneering, partisanship, ideology, factionalism, election, poll, ballot, vote, referendum, recall, initiative, voice, suffrage, plumper, cumulative vote, plebiscitum, plebiscite, vox populi, electioneering, voting, elective franchise, straight ticket, opinion poll, popularity poll, issue, opinion, stand, position, program, platform, party line, democracy, republicanism, communism, statism, state socialism, socialism, conservatism, toryism, liberalism, whigism, theocracy, constitutional monarchy, party, Democratic Party, Republican Party, Socialist Party, Communist Party, Federalist Party, Bull Moose Party, Abolitionist Party, Christian Democratic Party, Social Democratic Party, National Socialist Worker's Party, Nazi Party, Liberal Party, Labor Party, Conservative Party, ticket, slate, politician activist, candidate, aspirant, hopeful, office-seeker, front- runner, dark horse, long shot, shoo-in, supporter, backer, political worker, campaign worker, lobbyist, contributor, party hack, ward heeler, regional candidate, favorite son, running mate, stalking horse, perpetual candidate, political animal, political contribution, campaign contribution, political action committee, PAC, political district, electoral division, electoral district, bailiwick, electorate, constituents, get-out-the-vote campaign, political education, negative campaigning, dirty politics, smear campaign, also-ran, loser, has-been, office holder, official, occupant of a position, public servant, incumbent, winner, political, partisan, Money is the mother's milk of politics.For further exploring for "slate" in Webster Dictionary Online
