Word: slate Part of Speech: noun Etymology: The noun is derived from Middle English sclate, slat, slate (“type of rock; roofing slate; writing slate”), from Old French esclate, a feminine form of esclat (“broken piece, shard”) (modern French éclat), from Old French esclater (“to break, shatter”), from Frankish *slaitijan (“to split, break”), from Proto-Germanic *slaitijaną, the causative of *slītaną (“to cut up, split”); further etymology unknown (see the Proto-Germanic entry for a discussion). Doublet of éclat and slat. The adjective and verb are derived from the noun. Pronunciation: /sleɪt/ 1. A flake or piece of certain types of stone that tend to cleave into thin layers. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: Some of the minor Welsh 2 ft. gauge railways, we hear from Mr. N. F. G. Dalston, are enjoying a miniature boom owing to the demand for slate for the repair of damaged roofs. Example: In 1765 only 80 men were employed, and the annual output of slates did not exceed 1,000 tons, and large-scale quarrying was not begun by Lord Penrhyn until 1782. 2. A flake or piece of certain types of stone that tend to cleave into thin layers. Labels: countable, uncountable 3. A generally rectangular piece, originally of certain types of stone and now of other materials, often in a frame, used for writing on with a thin rod of the same or another stone (a slate pencil) or with chalk; a small chalkboard. Labels: broadly, countable, uncountable Example: He wrote all down one side of the slate and all up the other, and then remarked--"As there's no time to finish that, The time has come to have our chat." 4. Synonym of tablet computer (“a hand-held portable computer in the form of a tablet with a touch screen interface”). Labels: broadly, countable, uncountable Example: Hearing Steve Ballmer and others talk about the availability of Windows 8 on slates, laptops, netbooks, notebooks, and screens from 7 to 70 inches might lead us to believe that Microsoft is attempting to gain market share solely through […] 5. Synonym of clapperboard (“a device consisting of a board on which information about a film being recorded is noted, and a hinged piece which is brought down on the board with a clap at the start and end of each take of the film; it is used to synchronize picture and sound during editing”). Labels: broadly, countable, uncountable 6. Synonym of clapperboard (“a device consisting of a board on which information about a film being recorded is noted, and a hinged piece which is brought down on the board with a clap at the start and end of each take of the film; it is used to synchronize picture and sound during editing”). Labels: broadly, countable, uncountable 7. A record, for example, of money owed. Labels: countable, figuratively, uncountable Example: Put it on my slate—I’ll pay you next week. 8. A range of things; also, a schedule. Labels: US, countable, figuratively, uncountable Example: The Chairman James Kaplan tended to his busy slate of record and film projects, while Mia, too, actively sought movie work, somewhat to her husband's chagrin. Example: If it sounds like an impossibly busy slate, it turned out to be just that. 9. A collection of films released during a certain period, either from one studio or from a certain film industry (such as Hollywood) as a whole. Labels: US, countable, figuratively, uncountable Example: Like many independents that have established a strong if narrow niche, Central Park says it prospers when "A" titles are in short supply, but Pascuzzi much prefers a crowded slate because of trickle-down economics. Example: MVL Film Finance LLC (MVL) was created to partially finance Marvel Studios' production of a slate of 10 live-action or animated films based on up to 10 of Marvel's comic book characters[…] 10. A group or list of candidates for appointment or election to an office; also, a group of candidates or electors with affiliated political views. Labels: US, countable, figuratively, uncountable Example: Ice is one of a slate of young, idealistic candidates for Move Forward who have joined mainstream politics in the hope that this election allows Thailand to break the cycle of military coups […] 11. A fine-grained homogeneous sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash which has been metamorphosed so that it cleaves easily into thin layers. Labels: uncountable Example: The Penrhyn slate quarry possibly dates back to the sixteenth century, as it appears that in 1580 Sion Tudor asked the Bishop of Bangor for a shipload of slate. 12. A fine-grained homogeneous sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash which has been metamorphosed so that it cleaves easily into thin layers. Labels: uncountable