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Consult Chambers 21st Century Dictionary, The Chambers Thesaurus (1996) or Chambers Biographical Dictionary (1997 edition with amendments). Enter your search and choose your title from the drop-down menu.
slate1 noun 1 geol a shiny dark grey metamorphic rock that is easily split into thin flat layers, formed by the compression of clays and shales, and used for roofing and flooring. 2 a roofing tile made of this. 3 formerly a piece of this for writing on. 4 a record of credit given to a customer • put it on my slate. 5 a dull grey colour. verb (slated, slating) to cover (a roof) with slates. adj 1 made of slate. 2 slate-coloured. slated adj. slating noun. slaty adj. have a slate loose to be mentally deranged or mad. on the slate on credit. wipe the slate clean to enable a person to make a fresh start in a job, relationship, etc by ignoring past mistakes, acts of crime, etc. See also clean slate.
ETYMOLOGY: 14c: from French esclate.
slate1 noun 1 geol a shiny dark grey metamorphic rock that is easily split into thin flat layers, formed by the compression of clays and shales, and used for roofing and flooring. 2 a roofing tile made of this. 3 formerly a piece of this for writing on. 4 a record of credit given to a customer • put it on my slate. 5 a dull grey colour. verb (slated, slating) to cover (a roof) with slates. adj 1 made of slate. 2 slate-coloured. slated adj. slating noun. slaty adj. have a slate loose to be mentally deranged or mad. on the slate on credit. wipe the slate clean to enable a person to make a fresh start in a job, relationship, etc by ignoring past mistakes, acts of crime, etc. See also clean slate.
ETYMOLOGY: 14c: from French esclate.
slate1 noun 1 geol a shiny dark grey metamorphic rock that is easily split into thin flat layers, formed by the compression of clays and shales, and used for roofing and flooring. 2 a roofing tile made of this. 3 formerly a piece of this for writing on. 4 a record of credit given to a customer • put it on my slate. 5 a dull grey colour. verb (slated, slating) to cover (a roof) with slates. adj 1 made of slate. 2 slate-coloured. slated adj. slating noun. slaty adj. have a slate loose to be mentally deranged or mad. on the slate on credit. wipe the slate clean to enable a person to make a fresh start in a job, relationship, etc by ignoring past mistakes, acts of crime, etc. See also clean slate.
ETYMOLOGY: 14c: from French esclate.
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The Chambers Dictionary (13th edition)
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The Chambers Thesaurus
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Chambers Biographical Dictionary
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Consult Chambers 21st Century Dictionary, The Chambers Thesaurus (1996) or Chambers Biographical Dictionary (1997 edition with amendments). Enter your search and choose your title from the drop-down menu.
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