I. ˈslāt noun
Etymology: Middle English sclate, slate, from Anglo-French * esclat, from esclater to splinter, break off, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German ze sleizzen, slīzan to tear apart — more at slit
Date: 14th century
1. : a piece of construction material (as laminated rock) prepared as a shingle for roofing and siding
2. : a dense fine-grained metamorphic rock produced by the compression of various sediments (as clay or shale) so as to develop a characteristic cleavage
3. : a tablet (as of slate) used for writing on
4.
a. : a written or unwritten record (as of deeds)
started with a clean slate
b. : a list of candidates for nomination or election
5.
a. : a dark purplish gray
b. : any of various grays similar in color to common roofing slates
• slate adjective
• slate·like -ˌlīk adjective
II. transitive verb
( slat·ed ; slat·ing )
Date: 15th century
1. : to cover with slate or a slatelike substance
slate a roof
2. : to designate for a specified purpose or action : schedule
was slated to direct the play
III. transitive verb
( slat·ed ; slat·ing )
Etymology: probably alteration of slat (I)
Date: 1825
1. : to thrash or pummel severely
2. chiefly British : to criticize or censure severely