plate

plural plates

1. countableuncountableA slightly curved but almost flat dish from which food is served or eaten.

   I filled my plate from the bountiful table.

2. uncountableSuch dishes collectively.

   A valuable collection of silver plate was donated to the museum.

3. countableuncountableThe contents of such a dish.

   I ate a plate of beans.

4. countableuncountableA course at a meal.

   The meat plate was particularly tasty.

5. countablefigurativelyuncountableAn agenda of tasks, problems, or responsibilities

   With revenues down and transfer payments up, the legislature has a full plate.

6. countableuncountableA flat object of uniform thickness.

   The most important and most expensive part of any solar cell is a silicon plate.

7. Australiacountableespeciallymetonymicallypluralplural onlyuncountableVehicle license plates, registration plates.

   He stole a car and changed the plates as soon as he could.

   Synonyms: rego plates

8. countableuncountableA taxi permit, especially of a metal disc.
9. countablehistoricaluncountablePlate armor.

   He was confronted by two knights in full plate.

   2 more examples

   He hewd, and lasht, and foynd, and thondred blowes, And euery way did seeke into his life, Ne plate, ne male could ward so mighty throwes, But yeilded passage to his cruell knife.

   1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto V”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, page 248

   Two potent Thrones, that to be less then Gods Disdain’d, but meaner thoughts learnd in thir flight, Mangl’d with gastly wounds through Plate and Maile.

   1667, John Milton, “Book VI”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 366-368

10. countableuncountableA layer of a material on the surface of something, usually qualified by the type of the material; plating

    The bullets just bounced off the steel plate on its hull.

11. countableuncountableA material covered with such a layer.

    If you're not careful, someone will sell you silverware that's really only silver plate.

12. countabledateduncountableAn ornamental or food service item coated with silver or gold or otherwise decorated.

    The tea was served in the plate.

    1 more example

    The silver ore of pure Charity is an expensive article in the catalogue of a man's good Qualities—whereas the sentimental French Plate I use instead of it makes just as good a shew—and pays no tax.

    1777, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, The School for Scandal, V.i

13. countableuncountablehobbiesA weighted disk, usually of metal, with a hole in the center for use with a barbell, dumbbell, or exercise machine.
14. countableuncountablemediaAn engraved surface used to transfer an image to paper.

    We finished making the plates this morning.

    1 more example

    "Do you really mean me to go on with plates for all the high values up to the thousand pound printing?"

    1934, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], The Bravo of London

15. countableuncountableartsAn image or copy.
16. countableuncountablemediaAn illustration in a book, either black and white, or colour, usually on a page of paper of different quality from the text pages.
17. countableuncountabledentistryA shaped and fitted surface, usually ceramic or metal that fits into the mouth and in which teeth are implanted; a dental plate.
18. countableuncountablebusinessA horizontal framing member at the top or bottom of a group of vertical studs.
19. CockneycountableslanguncountableA person's foot.

    Sit down and give your plates a rest.

20. countableuncountableball gamesHome plate.

    There was a close play at the plate.

21. countableuncountablegeographyA tectonic plate.

    Our planet's crust is split into eight major plates and many minor plates.

    2012, Chinle Miller, In Mesozoic Lands: The Mesozoic Geology of Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, Kindle edition

22. countableuncountablebiologyAny of various larger scales found in some reptiles.
23. countableuncountablebusinessA flat electrode such as can be found in an accumulator battery, or in an electrolysis tank.
24. countableuncountablebusinessThe anode of a vacuum tube.

    Regulating the oscillator plate voltage greatly improves the keying.

25. countableuncountableA prize given to the winner in a contest.
26. countableuncountablechemistryAny flat piece of material such as coated glass or plastic.
27. countabledateduncountableaeronauticsA metallic card, used to imprint tickets with an airline's logo, name, and numeric code.
28. broadlycountableuncountableaeronauticsThe ability of a travel agent to issue tickets on behalf of a particular airline.
29. AustraliacountableuncountableA VIN plate, particularly with regard to the car's year of manufacture.
30. countableuncountableOne of the thin parts of the brisket of an animal.
31. countableuncountableA very light steel horseshoe for racehorses.
32. countableuncountablefurriers' slangSkins for fur linings of garments, sewn together and roughly shaped, but not finally cut or fitted.
33. countableuncountablehat-makingThe fine nap (as of beaver, musquash, etc.) on a hat whose body is made from inferior material.
34. countableuncountableentertainmentA record, usually vinyl.
35. countableuncountablegovernmenttrauma plate.

    The SAPI plate in his vest protected him from the bullet's impact.

36. countableslanguncountablelifestyleAny of the potential romantic or sexual partners with whom a person keeps in touch as part of plate spinning.

    More plates means more dates!

37. countableuncountableA Lego piece that is thin, 1/3 the height of a brick, and has studs on top.

present singular third person plates · participle present plating · participle past plated · past plated

1. transitiveTo cover the surface material of an object with a thin coat of another material, usually a metal.

   This ring is plated with a thin layer of gold.

2. transitiveartsTo place the various elements of a meal on the diner's plate prior to serving.

   After preparation, the chef will plate the dish.

   1 more example

   I took her for sushi, she wanted to fuck / So we took it to go, told 'em don't even plate it

   2011, “HYFR”, in Take Care, performed by Drake ft. Lil Wayne

3. transitiveball gamesTo score a run.

   The single plated the runner from second base.

4. transitiveTo arm or defend with metal plates.
5. transitiveTo beat into thin plates.
6. aeronauticsTo specify which airline a ticket will be issued on behalf of.

   Tickets are normally plated on an itinerary's first international airline.

7. transitivehobbiesTo categorize stamps based on their position on the original sheet, in order to reconstruct an entire sheet.
8. transitivehobbiesTo identify the printing plate used, particularly with early British stamps.

plural plates

1. uncountableusuallyPrecious metal, especially silver.

   At the northern extremity of this chill province the gold plate of the Groans, pranked across the shining black of the long table, smoulders as though it contains fire[…]

   1950, Mervyn Peake, Gormenghast, London: Eyre & Spottiswoode, →OCLC

   1 more example

   At every meal—and I have heard the meals at Petleighcote were neither abundant nor succulent—enough plate stood upon the table to pay for the feeding of the poor of the whole county for a month

   1864, Andrew Forrester, The Female Detective

plural plates

1. obsoleteSilver or gold, in the form of a coin, or less often silver or gold utensils or dishes.

   […] realms and islands were As plates dropp’d from his pocket.

   c. 1606–1607 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii]

2. governmentA roundel of silver or argent.

1. The River Plate.

   It would be preferable in view of the shortage of ammunition to blow her up in the shallow waters of the Plate and to have the crew interned.

   2004, Dudley Pope, The Battle Of The River Plate: The Hunt For The German Pocket Battleship Graf Spree, page 184

   3 more examples

   […]; but the tributary waters of the Plate issuing from the eastern and western plateaus, flow towards each other, unite in the heart of the continent, and continue over the central plain to the Atlantic.

   1832, David Brewster, editor, The Edinburgh Encyclopædia, volume 17, page 288

   To the southwest 235 miles of Uruguay's coast meet the muddy waters of the Plate. The tide plays tricks with the sediment-laden discharge of the great river and drives it back onto the coast, […]

   1947, Betty de Sherbinin, The River Plate republics, page 221

   A series of lucky shots from the small fort at Colonia had set fire to the Lord Clive, which was unable to manoeuvre in the shallow waters of the Plate. It did not stop burning till the flames reached the water line.

   2002, Andrew Graham-Yooll, Imperial Skirmishes: War and Gunboat Diplomacy in Latin America, page 6