Slate

subs. (old cant).—1.  A sheet (DEKKER and GROSE): also (B. E.) SLAT.

  1567.  HARMAN, A Caveat or Warening for Common Cursetors [E.E.T.S.], 76. A kynching morte is a lytle gyrle; the Mortes their mothers carries them at their backs in their SLATES.

  1611.  MIDDLETON, The Roaring Girle, v. 1. Trap. My doxy I haue by the Salomon a doxy, that carries a kinchin mort in her SLAT at her backe.

  1622.  FLETCHER, Beggar’s Bush, iii. 3. To mill from the ruffmans commission and SLATES.

  2.  (American political).—A preliminary list of candidates recommended to office; a party programme. [In practice a secret understanding between leaders as to the candidates they desire the nominating Convention to adopt.] TO SMASH (or BREAK) THE SLATE = to defeat the wire-pullers; TO SLATE = (1) to prepare, and (2) to be included in such a list. SLATE-SMASHER = a leader who ignores the wishes of his party.

  1877.  New York Tribune, 1 March. The facts about the latest Cabinet SLATE … are interesting as showing … the course of President Hayes in choosing his advisers.

  Verb. (colloquial).—1.  To reprimand or criticise; TO CUT UP (q.v.). [Formerly SLAT = to bait.] Hence SLATING (or a SLATE) = a blowing up; severe censure; unsparing criticism.

  c. 1300.  ROBERT MANNYNG OF BRUNNE, MS. Bowes, 55.

  1889.  BLACKMORE, Kit and Kitty, xxxi. And instead of being grateful, you set to and SLATE me!

  1890.  KIPLING, The Light that Failed, iv. None the less I’ll SLATE him. I’ll slate him ponderously in the ‘Catacylsm.’

  1899.  KERNAHAN, Scoundrels & Co., iv. If crimes were ‘reviewed’ in the same way as stories, a critic might ‘SLATE’ the two offences [lack of originality in crime and books] in almost identical words.

  2.  (HALLIWELL).—‘A woman is said TO BE SLATED when her petticoat falls below her gown.’

  3.  (common).—To bash a man’s hat over the eyes; TO BONNET (q.v.).

  4.  (sporting).—To bet heavily against an entry.

  A SLATE OFF (LOOSE, &c.), subs. phr. (common).—Crazy; a TILE LOOSE (q.v.).