to slate one
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
To reprove, abuse, or criticize him savagely. It is not known how the term arose, but perhaps it is because at school the names of bad boys were chalked up on the slate as an exposure.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “to slate one” mean?
To reprove, abuse, or criticize him savagely. It is not known how the term arose, but perhaps it is because at school the names of bad boys were chalked up on the slate as an exposure.
Is “to slate one” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.