Etymology From Middle English plate, from Old French plate, from Medieval Latin plata, from Vulgar Latin *plat(t)us, from Ancient Greek πλατύς (platús, “broad, flat, wide”). Compare Spanish plato. (foot): Cockney rhyming slang, from "plates of meat" for "feet".
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:
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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:
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A 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.
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A material covered with such a layer.
If you're not careful, someone will sell you silverware that's really only silver plate.
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Dated An ornamental or food service item coated with silver or gold or otherwise decorated.
The tea was served in the plate.
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:
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Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports, Weightlifting A weighted disk, usually of metal, with a hole in the center for use with a barbell, dumbbell, or exercise machine.
Media, Printing, Publishing An illustration in a book, either black and white, or colour, usually on a page of paper of different quality from the text pages.
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Dentistry, Medicine, Sciences A shaped and fitted surface, usually ceramic or metal that fits into the mouth and in which teeth are implanted; a dental 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:
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Biology, Herpetology, Natural sciences, Zoology Any of various larger scales found in some reptiles.
The SAPI plate in his vest protected him from the bullet's impact.
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Lifestyle, Seduction community, SexualitySlang Any of the potential romantic or sexual partners with whom a person keeps in touch as part of plate spinning.
More plates means more dates!
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A Lego piece that is thin, 1/3 the height of a brick, and has studs on top.
To 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.
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Arts, Cooking, Food, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Photography To place the various elements of a meal on the diner's plate prior to serving.
After preparation, the chef will plate the dish.
I took her for sushi, she wanted to fuck / So we took it to go, told 'em don't even plate it2011, “HYFR”, in Take Care, performed by Drake ft. Lil Wayne:
Etymology From Middle English, partly from Anglo-Norman plate (“plate, bullion”) and partly from Latin plata (“silver”), from Vulgar Latin *platta (“metal plate”), from feminine of Latin *plattus (“flat”).
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Usually Precious metal, especially silver.
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 month1864, Andrew Forrester, The Female Detective:
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:
plate
noun
Etymology From Spanish plata (“silver”).
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Obsolete Silver 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]: