slab
/slæb/ (bre, ipa) · /slæb/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈslab/ (ame, mw)
slab — noun
- slabsingular
- slabsplural
1. a flat, rectangular mass of a hard substance that is noticeably thicker than a s
a flat, rectangular mass of a hard substance that is noticeably thicker than a sheet or tile
Workers lifted the heavy concrete slab into place to form the new patio.
concrete slab for building surfaces
The butcher cut the salmon into thick slabs and wrapped each portion.
slab + of fish/meat for food portions
A large stone slab covered the entrance to the ancient tomb.
Tamar broke off a slab of dark chocolate and passed it around the table.
The old kitchen counter was a single slab of polished granite.
文法句型
a slab of [material]
用法筆記
Countable noun. Commonly used with "of" followed by the material name: a slab of concrete, a slab of marble, a slab of cheese.
常見錯誤
slab — verb
- slabpresent simple I / you / we / they
- slabs3rd person singular
- slabbing-ing form
- slabbedpast simple
1. to cut away the rough outer layer of a log or tree trunk to prepare it for furth
to cut away the rough outer layer of a log or tree trunk to prepare it for further processing
Owen slabbed the pine logs before feeding them into the main saw.
technical: slab + timber/log for lumber processing
Emre learned how to slab a tree trunk during his first week at the sawmill.
The machine can slab a full log in under thirty seconds.
Before squaring the oak beam, Asher slabbed the bark-covered edges first.
文法句型
slab + timber/log
用法筆記
Specialized woodworking term. The removed outer piece is itself called a slab.
2. to cut or divide a solid material into thick, flat pieces of roughly even size
to cut or divide a solid material into thick, flat pieces of roughly even size
The stonemason slabbed the marble block into four equal pieces.
slab + stone/marble for dividing material
Lien slabbed the block of cheddar and arranged the pieces on a board.
Imani slabbed the old railway sleepers to use as garden stepping stones.
Tunde slabbed the frozen block of butter with a heavy kitchen knife.
文法句型
slab + material + into + pieces
用法筆記
Less common than using "cut into slabs." Often used for stone, cheese, or meat.
3. to cover a surface, such as a floor, path, or roof, by laying flat stone or conc
to cover a surface, such as a floor, path, or roof, by laying flat stone or concrete pieces onto it
The contractor slabbed the entire backyard to create a flat outdoor seating area.
slab + surface for paving with concrete
Christopher slabbed the kitchen floor with grey stone tiles.
Aoi slabbed the roof terrace so it could hold the weight of plant pots.
The garden path was slabbed with local sandstone after the old gravel washed away.
- uncover
to remove the covering from a surface
文法句型
slab + surface + with + material
用法筆記
Primarily used in building and construction contexts. Similar in meaning to "pave" but implies the use of thick, flat slabs rather than bricks or smaller stones.
常見錯誤
4. to spread a thick layer of a soft substance, such as butter, paint, or paste, on
to spread a thick layer of a soft substance, such as butter, paint, or paste, onto a surface
Saira slabbed butter onto the warm toast until it began to drip.
informal: slab + butter/spread onto food
The decorator slabbed thick white paint onto the kitchen walls.
Tomás slabbed mayonnaise onto both sides of the bread for extra flavour.
Élise slabbed sun cream onto the children's arms before the beach trip.
- dab
to apply lightly in small amounts
文法句型
slab + substance + onto + surface
用法筆記
Informal British usage. Conveys a generous, almost careless amount — unlike "spread," which can be thin or neat.
常見錯誤
slab — adjective
- slabpositive
- slabbercomparative
- slabbestsuperlative
1. having a thick, slow-flowing texture that does not pour easily, similar to wet c
having a thick, slow-flowing texture that does not pour easily, similar to wet clay or heavy dough
The clay was too slab to shape, so Eri added water to soften it.
slab clay/dough in pottery context
The mixture became slab after cooling, and it stuck to the spoon.
The porridge turned slab after sitting on the stove for too long.
Lucas stirred the slab lava slowly as it crept down the slope.
用法筆記
A rare and technical adjective, mostly found in descriptions of geological material or thick food mixtures. Dialectal in origin. The more common word for this meaning is "viscous" or "thick."