slate

slate¹ [sleıt] n

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

1¦(rock)¦

2¦(on a roof)¦

3 slate blue/grey

4¦(politics)¦

5¦(for writing on)¦

6 put something on the slate

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

[Date: 1300-1400; : Old French; Origin: esclat 'thin piece split off', from esclater 'to burst, splinter']

1.) ¦(ROCK)¦[U]

a dark grey rock that can easily be split into flat thin pieces

2.) ¦(ON A ROOF)¦ especially BrE a small piece of slate or similar material that is used for covering roofs

= ↑tile

▪ There were several slates missing from the roof.

3.) slate blue/grey

a dark blue or grey colour

4.) ¦(POLITICS)¦

a list of people that voters can choose in an election, or who are being considered for an important job

5.) ¦(FOR WRITING ON)¦

a small black board or a flat piece of slate in a wooden frame used for writing on in the past

6.) put sth on the slate

BrE old-fashioned to arrange to pay for something later, especially food or drink

→a clean slate at ↑clean¹ (9)

slate ²

slate² v [T usually passive]

1.) BrE informal to criticize a book, film etc severely, especially in a newspaper

= ↑slam

▪ Doherty's most recent novel has been slated by the critics.

2.) be slated to do sth/be slated for sth

especially AmE

a) if something is slated to happen, it is planned to happen in the future, especially at a particular time

▪ He is slated to appear at the Cambridge Jazz Festival next year.

▪ Every house on this block is slated for demolition.