SLATE
What does "SLATE" mean?
A fine-grained grey rock that splits into thin sheets, used for roofing and writing.
Meanings
- A fine-grained metamorphic rock that cleaves into flat plates, traditionally used for roof tiles and writing tablets. The cottage had a roof of weathered grey slate.
- A writing tablet of slate, or by extension a record of debts or tasks. The pub let regulars run a tab on the slate.
- A list of candidates or items proposed for a particular purpose. The party announced its slate of candidates for the election.
- To schedule or plan something for a particular time. The launch is slated for early spring.
- To criticize harshly (chiefly British). Reviewers slated the play after opening night. informal
Did you know?
- The idea of a 'clean slate' is literal: it comes from wiping a slate writing tablet bare so the day's debts or lessons vanished and you could begin again.
Word origin
From Old French 'esclate', a feminine form of 'esclat' (a splinter or fragment), reflecting how the rock splits into thin pieces.
Remember it
SLATE = S + LATE; if a roof tile breaks, your repair is always SLATE - and the launch you scheduled may run LATE.
A little poem
Grey stone splits to sheets-
rain that fell on roofs of slate
now writes on the page.
haiku
Wordplay
- The teacher told the roofer they had the same job: both spend all day getting people to start with a clean slate.
What it teaches
Any slate can be wiped clean; the rock that splits most easily also rebuilds most willingly.
Quick facts
What does SLATE mean?
A fine-grained grey rock that splits into thin sheets, used for roofing and writing.
Is SLATE a valid word?
Yes — SLATE is one of the answer words in Wordul, the daily word game.
How many letters is SLATE?
SLATE has 5 letters and 1 syllable.
Where does SLATE come from?
From Old French 'esclate', a feminine form of 'esclat' (a splinter or fragment), reflecting how the rock splits into thin pieces.
What can SLATE teach us?
Any slate can be wiped clean; the rock that splits most easily also rebuilds most willingly.
How players do
Be the first to solve it.