/ sleɪt; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
1.
[ U ] a type of dark grey stone that splits easily into thin flat layers :
a slate quarry
The sea was the colour of slate.
2.
[ C ] a small thin piece of slate, used for covering roofs :
A loose slate had fallen from the roof.
—picture at house
3.
[ C ] ( NAmE ) a list of the candidates in an election :
a slate of candidates
the Democratic slate
4.
[ C ] a small sheet of slate in a wooden frame, used in the past in schools for children to write on
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IDIOMS
see clean adjective , wipe verb
■ verb
1.
[ vn ] slate sb/sth (for sth) ( BrE ) to criticize sb/sth, especially in a newspaper :
to slate a book / play / writer
2.
slate sth (for sth) [ usually passive ] to plan that sth will happen at a particular time in the future :
[ vn ]
The houses were first slated for demolition five years ago.
[ vn to inf ]
The new store is slated to open in spring.
3.
[ usually passive ] slate sb (for sth) ( informal , especially NAmE ) to suggest or choose sb for a job, position, etc. :
[ vn ]
I was told that I was being slated for promotion.
[ vn to inf ]
He is slated to play the lead in the new musical.
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English sclate , sklate , shortening of Old French esclate , feminine synonymous with esclat piece broken off, from esclater to split. Sense 2 of the verb arose from the practice of noting a name on a writing slate.