slate
(slāt)
[Middle English sclate, from Old French esclate, splinter feminine of esclat; see slat.]
noun
- A fine-grained metamorphic rock that splits into thin, smooth-surfaced layers.
- A piece of this rock cut for use as roofing or surfacing material or as a writing surface.
- A writing tablet made of a similar material.
- A record of past performance or activity: start over with a clean slate.
- A list of the candidates of a political party running for various offices.
- A dark or bluish gray to dark bluish or dark purplish gray.
adjective
- Made of a fine-grained metamorphic rock: a slate roof.
- Of the color slate.
transitive verb: slat·ed, slat·ing, slates.
- To cover (a roof, for example) with slate.
- To put on a list of candidates.
- To schedule or designate: Our professor has slated the art history lecture for Thursday afternoon; was slated to direct the studio's next film.
