slate
slate — noun
1. a natural building stone, dark grey in colour, that can be divided into thin, fl
a natural building stone, dark grey in colour, that can be divided into thin, flat sheets and used mainly for roof coverings
The old cottage on the hill still has its original slate roof.
collocation: slate roof
Workers carried heavy pieces of slate up the ladder to repair the chapel roof.
The quarry near Lakan's village produces high-quality slate for building projects.
Slate splits easily along its natural layers, making it ideal for roof tiles.
physical property: splits along natural layers
- slate roof
- slate tile
- slate quarry
- piece of slate
Usage Note
Often used as an uncountable noun when referring to the rock material itself: 'a roof made of slate'.
Common Mistakes
2. a thin slate slab held inside a wooden border, used in earlier times by schoolch
a thin slate slab held inside a wooden border, used in earlier times by schoolchildren for writing and drawing with chalk
In the nineteenth century, children wrote their daily lessons on a small slate.
historical classroom use: children wrote on a slate
Aoi's grandmother showed her the wooden-framed slate she had used at school.
The museum displayed a slate with faint chalk writing still visible on its surface.
Teachers would walk around the classroom checking each student's slate for correct answers.
- write on a slate
- school slate
- wooden-framed slate
- tablet
a general term for a flat writing surface; can be made of clay, wax, or stone
- writing board
a modern equivalent made of plastic or wood, not slate
Usage Note
This sense is now historical. Before paper became cheap and widely available, slates were reusable writing surfaces — students wiped their work clean with a cloth.
3. a touch-screen device that lets you write, draw, or read digital content, usuall
a touch-screen device that lets you write, draw, or read digital content, usually with a stylus
Eitan uses a slate to take notes during lectures instead of a paper notebook.
purpose: note-taking during lectures
The hospital gave each nurse a slate for quickly recording patient information.
Camila downloaded a drawing app on her slate and started sketching portraits.
Modern slates are lighter and more powerful than the first tablet computers from 2010.
- use a slate
- slate computer
- write on a slate
- tablet
the more common modern term for a touch-screen computer
- tablet computer
the formal term; less common in everyday speech
Usage Note
In modern usage, 'tablet' is more common than 'slate' for this device. 'Slate' was more frequent in the early 2010s when these products first appeared.
4. the names of individuals put forward or evaluated for a particular role, especia
the names of individuals put forward or evaluated for a particular role, especially political office in an election
The party has not yet announced its full slate of candidates for the coming election.
pattern: slate of candidates
Christopher's name was on the short slate for the position of school board chair.
Voters received a ballot showing the slate of nominees from all three parties.
The committee prepared a slate of three finalists for the CEO position at the bank.
extended use: non-political positions also take 'slate'
- slate of candidates
- full slate
- slate of nominees
- on the slate
- list of candidates
a more general and neutral term; less specialized than 'slate'
- shortlist
a smaller, final list of the most suitable candidates
- ticket
specifically the list of candidates from one political party in an election
Usage Note
Most common in US political contexts. 'Slate of candidates' can also be extended to non-political groups, such as a board of directors or award nominees.
Common Mistakes
5. a complete set of things, such as programmes, products, or events, that have bee
a complete set of things, such as programmes, products, or events, that have been planned or are expected
The streaming service announced its slate of original series for the coming year.
pattern: slate of [programmes/products/events]
The publisher agreed to buy Vivek's full slate of mystery novels for the series.
Salma's team is working through a heavy slate of software updates this quarter.
The university's slate of new courses next semester includes twenty fresh options.
- slate of programmes
- full slate
- entire slate
- slate of products
Usage Note
Typically followed by 'of' + noun phrase describing the type of items (films, products, courses, etc.). Often paired with 'full' or 'entire'.
a clean slate
idioma situation in which past mistakes or problems are forgotten, allowing someone to make a fresh start
Moving to a new city gave Otis a clean slate and a chance to meet new people.
The new manager promised everyone a clean slate, regardless of what had happened before.
wipe the slate clean
idiomto decide to forget past mistakes, disagreements, or debts and start a relationship or situation again from the beginning
After their heated argument, the two friends agreed to wipe the slate clean and start over.
The bank offered to wipe the slate clean by forgiving all the late payment fees.
a blank slate
idiomsomeone or something that has the potential to be developed or changed in many different ways, with no fixed characteristics yet
Young children are like a blank slate, learning rapidly from everything around them.
The new director saw the empty theatre as a blank slate for creative ideas.
a blank canvas/slate
idiomSomething or someone that can be shaped or changed in many possible ways.
The empty room was a blank canvas for the new artist.
After the accident, his mind became a blank slate.
a clean slate/sheet
idiomA fresh start without any past mistakes or problems.
After paying off his debts, he started with a clean slate.
The new manager gave the team a clean sheet to rebuild trust.
slate — verb
1. of an event, to be set for a specific time that lies ahead; or of a person, to b
of an event, to be set for a specific time that lies ahead; or of a person, to be picked for a particular duty or role
The new hospital is slated to open in March next year.
passive: be slated to + infinitive
Niran is slated to give the opening speech at the graduation ceremony.
The meeting was slated for Tuesday, but it has been postponed until Thursday.
passive: be slated for + date
Three new bridges in the region are slated for construction starting this summer.
The film is slated to begin production in early 2026 with a modest budget.
- slated to
- slated for
- slated to begin
Grammar Patterns
be slated to + infinitive
be slated for + noun phrase
Usage Note
Almost always used in the passive voice: 'be slated to + verb' or 'be slated for + noun'. The active form ('The company slates the meeting for Tuesday') is very rare and sounds unnatural.
Common Mistakes
2. to criticize someone or something very harshly in a public statement, article, o
to criticize someone or something very harshly in a public statement, article, or review — for example, a critic slating a film for being badly acted
Critics slated the director's latest film for its weak script and poor acting.
pattern: slate + [something] + for + [reason]
The newspaper article slated the government's handling of the housing crisis.
Léa's proposal was slated by the board for being far too expensive to implement.
Food reviewers slated the new restaurant for its slow service and cold dishes.
- slate a film
- slate a proposal
- slated by critics
- slated for its poor quality
Grammar Patterns
slate + noun/pronoun + for + noun/gerund
Usage Note
Much stronger than 'criticize' and closer in force to 'condemn'. Common in British journalism and review writing. The subject is typically a critic, reviewer, or journalist.
Common Mistakes
3. the trade activity of putting slate tiles onto a building's roof to make it weat
the trade activity of putting slate tiles onto a building's roof to make it weatherproof
The builder learnt how to slate a roof during his three-year apprenticeship.
trade skill: learning to slate a roof
The old farmhouse on the hill needs to be slated again before the winter rains.
It took two weeks for Ishaan's team to completely slate the new chapel roof.
The church hired a specialist to slate the tower, which had been leaking for years.
- slate a roof
- slate a building
- slated roof
- roof
a general verb for covering a roof with any material; less specific than 'slate'
Grammar Patterns
slate + noun (roof / building)
Usage Note
A specialized trade term used mostly by builders, roofers, and architects. The more common expression is 'roof with slate' or 'cover with slate tiles'.
slate — adjective
1. having a dark grey colour with a slight blue tone, similar to the colour of slat
having a dark grey colour with a slight blue tone, similar to the colour of slate rock
Min wore a smart slate suit to the job interview at the law firm.
collocation: slate suit (clothing)
The living room walls were painted a calming shade of slate grey.
collocation: slate grey (paint colour)
The winter sky turned a deep slate colour just before the snow began to fall.
Hannah adopted a cat with beautiful slate fur and bright green eyes from the shelter.
- slate grey
- slate blue
- slate coloured
- slate suit
Usage Note
Often used in compound colour names: 'slate grey', 'slate blue', 'slate black'. The colour is considered neutral and is popular in interior design and fashion.
Word family
- slatedadjectiveB2
- slatingnounC1
- slaternounC1
- slatyadjectiveC1
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
Stone is the most general term for any hard, non-metallic mineral material — it covers everything from granite pebbles to marble slabs. Rock refers to a large, natural mass of stone, often still attached to the ground or forming a landscape feature. Shale is a sedimentary rock that resembles slate in its layered appearance but is softer, less durable, and not suitable for roofing. Flagstone is a flat piece of stone cut for paving paths and patios, not for roofs. Unlike all of these, slate is a metamorphic rock prized for its ability to split into thin, waterproof sheets. For example, 'The children skipped flat stones across the lake' uses a general term, while 'Slate tiles have lasted on this roof for over a century' names the specific roofing material.
Common collocations
Etymology
Slate entered English from Old French 'esclate', meaning a piece broken off or a splinter, which itself came from a Germanic root meaning 'to split' or 'to break'. The name refers to the rock's natural property of splitting into thin, flat sheets. By the 14th century, 'slate' referred to the roofing stone. The writing-tablet sense emerged because thin pieces of the same rock made cheap, reusable writing surfaces. From this, the metaphorical 'clean slate' and 'blank slate' meanings developed in the 19th and 20th centuries.