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| plate [ playt ] |
noun (plural plates) |
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| Definition: |
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1. dish from which food is eaten: a flat or shallow object, usually round and made of earthenware, china, glass, plastic, or metal, from which food is eaten
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2. contents of plate: a portion of food consisting of the amount served on a plate
 a plate of vegetables
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3. served food: a particular variety of prepared and served food
 a low-calorie plate
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4. collection dish for money: a shallow metal or wooden container passed around a church for members of the congregation to put money in
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5. dish for growing cultures: a small flat glass or plastic dish with a vertical rim, used in laboratories for growing cultures of microorganisms
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6. baseball Same as home plate
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7. coating of metal: a thin coating of metal, typically silver or gold, applied by electrolysis to copper or another base metal
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8. precious tableware: tableware and cutlery made out of gold or silver or covered with gold or silver plate
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9. thinly beaten metal: metal produced in thin sheets of uniform thickness by beating, rolling, or casting
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10. piece of sheet metal: a piece, sheet, or slab of flat metal used to join or strengthen things
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11. piece of armor plate: a piece or sheet of specially strengthened metal used as part of the cladding of something such as a warship or tank
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12. section of suit of armor: a thin piece of steel or iron used in making a suit of armor, or armor made from plates
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13. thin sheet: a thin flat rigid sheet or slice of some material, usually of uniform thickness and with a smooth surface
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14. automotive Same as license plate
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15. sensitized sheet of glass: a sheet of glass or other material coated with a light-sensitive film to receive a photographic image
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16. surface from which to print: a template for printing, either an engraved metal sheet or a phototypeset page
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17. print taken from engraved surface: a print made from a printing plate, especially one inserted into a book on paper different from that on which the text is printed
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18. illustration in book: a full-page illustration or photograph in a book, especially on glossy or coated paper
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19. engraved plaque: a metal plaque that bears an engraved or printed legend, name, number, or other inscription
(
often used in combination
)
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20. prize of gold or silver cup: a prize, especially in horseracing, consisting of a silver or gold dish or similar trophy
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21. race with plate as prize: a race, especially a horse race, in which the prize is a silver or gold dish or similar trophy
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22. artificial palate fitted with false teeth: a piece of plastic molded to fit the mouth and holding false teeth or an orthodontic device such as a brace
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23. section of earth's crust: any segment of the Earth's crust that moves in relation to other segments as defined by the theory of plate tectonics
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24. flat anatomical structure: a thin flat bony or horny anatomical part or formation
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25. electrode: a thin flat piece of metal acting as an electrode in a rechargeable battery
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26. shoe worn by racehorse: a light shoe with which racehorses are shod in preparation for racing
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27. horizontal supporting timber: a horizontal timber laid along the top of a wall of a building to support the ends of timbers laid at right angles to the wall
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28. U.S. cut of beef: a thin cut of beef from the breast or ribs
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transitive verb (past and past participle plat·ed, present participle plat·ing, 3rd person present singular plates) |
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| Definition: |
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1. cover something with metal: to cover metal or metal objects with a thin coating or film of another metal, often a precious or shiny one
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2. cover something with metal sheets: to cover something, e.g. a ship or tank, with sheets of metal for protection and strength
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3. set up type in page form: to set up movable type into page form ready for printing
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4. strengthen broken bone with plate: to hold a fractured bone in position once it has been set by screwing it, on either side of the fracture, to a metal plate
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5. put food on plate: to arrange food on a plate
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| [13th century. Via French< medieval Latin plata "plate armor" < Greek platus "flat"] |
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 plate·ful noun |
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have something handed to you on a plate to obtain something without having to put any effort into obtaining it (informal)
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on your plate requiring your attention (informal)
 I can't do it, I have too much on my plate right now.
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