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   slate

   /sleɪt/

   noun

   • 1. a fine-grained grey, green, or bluish-purple metamorphic rock easily split into smooth, flat plates: "slate quarries"
   • ▪ a flat plate of slate used as roofing material: "a loose slate falls from the roof"
   • 2. a flat plate of slate formerly used for writing on in schools: "the teacher was demonstrating, the children copying on to slates"
   • ▪ a record of a person's debit or credit (in pubs and shops formerly written on a slate): British "‘Five quid,’ said the barman. ‘Put it on my slate,’ I suggested"
   • ▪ a small portable computer that accepts input directly on to its screen rather than via a keyboard or mouse; a tablet computer: "after getting our hands on one this afternoon, we found that it’s a solid, well-performing slate that’s easy on the eyes"
   • 3. a bluish-grey colour: "suits of slate grey"
   • 4. a list of candidates for election to a post or office, typically a group sharing a set of political views: "candidates on the left's slate won 74 per cent of constituency votes"
   • ▪ a range of something on offer: North American "the company has revealed details of a $60m slate of film productions"
   • 5. a board showing the identifying details of a take in a film, held in front of the camera at the beginning and end of the take: "the electronic time-code system allowed us to shoot with or without conventional slates"

   verb

   • 1. cover (something, especially a roof) with slates: "he was working for his father slating a new roof"
   • 2. criticize severely: informal British "his work was slated by the critics"
   • 3. schedule; plan: North American "London shows are slated for late June"
   • ▪ nominate (someone) as a candidate for an office or post: "I understand that I am being slated for promotion"
   • 4. identify (a take in a film) using a slate: "the assistant cameraman is about to slate the scene"

   Word Origin Middle Englishsclate, sklate, shortening of Old French esclate, feminine synonymous with esclat ‘piece broken off’ (see slat).

   Derivatives

   • 1. slaty adjective

   Scrabble Points: 5

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   • L

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   • A

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   • T

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   • E

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