- plate
- I UK [pleɪt] / US
noun
Word forms "plate":
singular plate plural plates
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1) [countable] a flat round dish that you put food onRinse the plates before putting them in the dishwasher.
paper plates
a) plate or plateful the amount of food that a plate will holdplate of:a plate of sandwiches
b) American a platter served in a restaurantc) a flat round dish used for collecting money, especially in a churchThere will be a plate at the back for any donations.
2) [countable] a piece of metal or a hard substance used for covering or protecting somethinga) a piece of metal put into a part of someone's body to protect itSurgeons covered the wound in his skull with a metal plate.
b) a piece of metal used for covering something, or for joining two parts of something togetherWorkers put a steel plate over the hole in the roadway.
They welded a large plate to the side of the damaged ship.
c) one of the flat pieces of bone, horn etc that protect the body of some animals3) [countable] a small piece of metal or plastic that is fixed to something and used for showing information such as someone's name or a numberYou can find the serial number on a plate inside the door of the refrigerator.
See:4)a) [uncountable] a thin layer of silver or gold that covers a less valuable metal to improve its appearanceb) forks, spoons, plates etc that are covered by a layer of silver or gold5) [countable] a piece of metal used, especially in the past, for printing the words and pictures in booksa) a picture printed on special paper in a bookThe book contains 35 colour plates.
b) a piece of glass covered in chemicals that react with light, used especially in the past for producing images that could then be printed as photographs6)a) [countable] a piece of plastic or metal with false teeth fixed to it that is made to fit inside your mouthb) a piece of plastic with wires fixed to it that you wear in your mouth to make your teeth straight7) [countable] one of the layers of rock that form the surface of the Earth•have a lot/enough/too much on your plate
— to have a lot of/enough/too many things to worry about or deal withWith three kids and a full-time job, she's got enough on her plate already.
II UK [pleɪt] / US verb [transitive]
Word forms "plate":
present tense I/you/we/they plate he/she/it plates present participle plating past tense plated past participle plated1) to cover a metal object with a thin layer of gold or silver2)a) to protect something with a piece of metalb) if hard layers of bone, horn etc plate an animal's body, they cover and protect it
English dictionary. 2014.