A fine‑grained rock that splits into thin, flat pieces, often used for roof tiles or writing boards. It can also mean a list of people or things, such as a “slate” of candidates.
“Slate” comes from Old French “esclate,” meaning “splinter” or “fragment.” It originally described something that easily broke into flat pieces. English extended it from the rock itself to objects and metaphors, like a “clean slate.”
The idea of a “clean slate” comes from literally wiping chalk off a slate board to start fresh. Now we use it for lives, reputations, and plans, not just writing. A piece of rock ended up giving us one of our favorite metaphors for second chances.
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