plate
gb/plˈeɪt/ us/plˈeɪt/
A1
English
~ 1800
tányér, adag, lemez, tábla, lemezpáncél, mellvért, hazai bázis, home plate, tektonikai lemez, kőzetlemez, litoszféralemez, rendszámtábla, azonosítótábla, rendszám
NOUN
A1
1
tányér
A1
Usage pattern:
to put [food] on a plate
She placed the steak on a large white plate.
Egy nagy fehér tányérra tette a steaket.
The waiter brought a plate of pasta to the table.
A pincér egy tányér tésztát hozott az asztalhoz.
Please put your dirty plates in the sink.
He balanced three plates in his hands.
We need more paper plates for the picnic.
Learner examples
I put my sandwich on a plate.
A szendvicsemet egy tányérra tettem.
The plate is on the table.
A tányér az asztalon van.
She eats rice from a small plate.
We have many clean plates in the cupboard.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'plate' with 'bowl'; a plate is flat, while a bowl is deep.
Meaning
A flat dish for food
Collocations
dinner plate
|small plate
|plate of food
|paper plate
Synonyms
dish (A general term for a container for serving food; can include bowls.)
Themes
daily life
|food
|food_drink
|daily_life
Definition
A flat dish that you put food on to eat or serve it.
A flat, usually round dish from which food is eaten or on which it is served.
NOUN
A1
2
adag
A2
Usage pattern:
a plate of [food]
He ordered a plate of fried rice.
Rendelt egy adag sült rizst.
I couldn't finish my plate of spaghetti.
Nem bírtam megenni az egész adag spagettit.
She gave me a generous plate of fruit.
The children each had a small plate of cookies.
Learner examples
I eat a big plate of rice.
Egy nagy adag rizst eszem.
He has a plate of chicken.
Előtte van egy adag csirke.
She makes me a plate of eggs for breakfast.
Common mistake:
Some learners mix up 'plate' as the object and 'plate' as the food on it; context clarifies this.
Meaning
Serving of food on a dish
Collocations
plate of pasta
|plate of salad
|empty plate
Synonyms
serving (Refers to an amount of food given to one person, not the dish itself.)
Themes
daily life
|food
|food_drink
|daily_life
Definition
The food that is put on a plate for one person to eat.
An amount of food arranged on a plate for one person.
NOUN
B1
3
The welder attached a steel plate to the frame.
A hegesztő egy acéllemezt rögzített a kerethez.
A brass name plate was fixed to the door.
Egy sárgaréz névtáblát erősítettek az ajtóra.
The armor was made from thick iron plates.
Learner examples
The door has a metal plate on it.
Az ajtón van egy fémlemez.
The car has a name plate on the back.
Az autó hátulján van egy névtábla.
He cut the wood into plates.
Meaning
Flat sheet of metal or material
Collocations
metal plate
|steel plate
|name plate
Synonyms
sheet (General term for thin, flat material; 'plate' often refers to thicker or more rigid pieces.)
Themes
materials
|manufacturing
|technology
|work
Definition
A thin, flat piece of metal or other hard material.
A thin, flat sheet of metal, glass, or other solid material.
NOUN
B2
4
lemezpáncél
C1
mellvért
C1
The knight wore a breast plate over his tunic.
A lovag mellvértet viselt a tunikája fölött.
Ancient warriors often fought in plate armor.
Az ókori harcosok gyakran lemezpáncélban harcoltak.
The museum displayed a full suit of medieval plates.
Learner examples
The knight has a big breast plate.
A lovagnak nagy mellvértje van.
Plate armor is heavy.
A lemezpáncél nehéz.
He wears a plate to protect his chest.
Meaning
Rigid armor covering
Collocations
breast plate
|armor plate
Synonyms
armor (General term for protective metal covering; 'plate' refers to individual rigid pieces.)
Themes
history
|warfare
|clothing
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A hard piece of metal used as part of armor to protect the body.
A piece of armor made from metal plates used to protect the body.
NOUN
B1
5
hazai bázis
C1
home plate
C1
The runner slid into home plate just in time.
A futó éppen időben csúszott be a hazai bázisra.
The umpire stood behind home plate.
A játékvezető a hazai bázis mögött állt.
He stepped up to the plate and hit a home run.
Learner examples
The player runs to home plate.
A játékos a hazai bázis felé fut.
The ball goes to home plate.
A labda a hazai bázishoz kerül.
He stands at home plate to bat.
Meaning
Home base in baseball
Collocations
home plate
Synonyms
home base (Baseball term; 'home plate' is more precise for the physical object.)
Themes
sports
Definition
In baseball, the flat base where the batter hits the ball from.
In baseball, the flat base at which the batter stands and tries to hit the ball.
NOUN
B2
TECHNICAL
6
The Pacific Plate is moving northwestward.
A Csendes-óceáni-lemez északnyugat felé mozog.
Earthquakes often occur near the edges of tectonic plates.
Földrengések gyakran a tektonikai lemezek peremén fordulnak elő.
The collision of two plates formed mountains.
Learner examples
The Pacific Plate is very big.
A Csendes-óceáni-lemez nagyon nagy.
Plates move slowly under the Earth.
A lemezek lassan mozognak a Föld felszíne alatt.
Two plates can push together.
Meaning
Tectonic section of Earth's crust
Collocations
tectonic plate
|continental plate
Synonyms
slab (Informal or descriptive term; 'plate' is standard in geology.)
Themes
science
|geography
|nature
Definition
A huge piece of Earth's outer layer that moves slowly and can cause earthquakes and volcanoes.
A large, rigid piece of Earth's lithosphere that moves over the mantle, causing geological activity.
NOUN
A2
7
His car has a personalized license plate.
Az autóján egyedi rendszámtábla van.
The police checked the number plate against their records.
A rendőrök összevetették a rendszámot a nyilvántartásukkal.
Every vehicle must display its registration plates.
Learner examples
My car has a license plate.
Az autómon van rendszámtábla.
The police look at the number plate.
A rendőrök megnézik a rendszámot.
Every car needs two plates.
Meaning
Identifying panel with characters
Collocations
license plate
|number plate
Synonyms
tag (Informal American English for vehicle registration plates.)
Themes
transportation
|technology
Definition
A flat sign with letters or numbers that shows who owns something or what it is.
A flat panel with identifying letters or numbers, often fixed to vehicles or machines.
Grammar
Dictionary form
plate
IPA
GB/plˈeɪt/
US/plˈeɪt/
Syllables & stress
plate (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (plate)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: plate
- Plural: plate, plates
Word family
Expressions
clean one's plate
1/klˈin wˈʌnz plˈeɪt/
idiom
Eat all food on your dish
To eat all the food that is on your plate.
Examples
- You can't have dessert until you clean your plate.
- He always cleans his plate, no matter how much food he gets.
full plate
1/fˈʊl plˈeɪt/
fixed phrase
informal
Many tasks or commitments at once
When you have many things to do at one time.
Examples
- I'd love to help, but I have a full plate right now.
- With three kids and a full-time job, she has a full plate.
have a lot on one's plate
1/hˈæv ə lˈɑt ˈɔn wˈʌnz plˈeɪt/
idiom
informal
Be very busy with tasks or problems
To have many things to do or take care of at the same time.
Examples
- I can't take on another project right now—I have too much on my plate.
- She's got a lot on her plate with work and school.
on one's plate
1/ˈɔn wˈʌnz plˈeɪt/
fixed phrase
informal
Part of current responsibilities/tasks
Something that you have to do or deal with now.
Examples
- I've got too much on my plate already without taking on another job.
- He has several important assignments on his plate this week.
step up to the plate
1/stˈɛp ˈʌp tə ðə plˈeɪt/
idiom
informal
Accept responsibility or challenge
To agree to do something important or difficult when it is needed.
Examples
- It's time for you to step up to the plate and lead the team.
- It’s time for you to step up to the plate and lead the team.
- When the project was in trouble, she stepped up to the plate and fixed it.
- She stepped up to the plate when her colleague was sick.