Definition of slate

slatenoun

Đá phiến

/sleɪt//sleɪt/

The word "slate" has its origins in Old English as "slat", which referred to a thin, flat piece of stone, usually slate. This word is likely derived from the Old Norse "slatt", meaning "flat stone" or "plate". Slate was a valuable resource in medieval times, used for making roofing, flooring, and writing surfaces. The term "slate" became specifically associated with these flat stones, which were often used for writing on with a piece of chalk or a slate pencil. In the 16th century, the word "slate" began to be used figuratively to describe a flat, smooth surface, such as a slate for writing or a slate-colored stone. Today, the word "slate" has a broader range of meanings, including a plan or schedule, as in "a slate of candidates for office".

namespace

a type of dark grey stone that splits easily into thin flat layers

một loại đá màu xám đen dễ dàng tách thành các lớp phẳng mỏng

Example:
  • a slate quarry

    một mỏ đá phiến

  • The sea was the colour of slate.

    Biển có màu của đá phiến.

a small thin piece of slate, used for covering roofs

một miếng đá phiến mỏng nhỏ, dùng để lợp mái nhà

Example:
  • A loose slate had fallen from the roof.

    Một phiến đá lỏng lẻo đã rơi từ trên mái nhà xuống.

a list of the candidates in an election

danh sách các ứng cử viên trong cuộc bầu cử

Example:
  • a slate of candidates

    một danh sách ứng cử viên

  • the Democratic slate

    bảng xếp hạng của đảng Dân chủ

a small sheet of slate in a wooden frame, used in the past in schools for children to write on

một tấm đá phiến nhỏ đóng trong khung gỗ, trước đây được sử dụng trong trường học để trẻ em viết lên

Idioms

a blank canvas/slate
a person or thing that has the potential to be developed or changed in many different ways
  • The building is a blank canvas for a clever investor to potentially make a lot of money.
  • Alice was a blank slate in the first film because she had memory loss and knew nothing about herself.
  • a clean slate/sheet
    a record of your work or behaviour that does not show any mistakes or bad things that you have done
  • No government operates with a completely clean slate.
  • wipe the slate clean
    to agree to forget about past mistakes or arguments and start again with a relationship