Slab
/slæb/
Definitions
2 meaningsA flat, thick piece of stone, concrete, or other material.
/slæb/
A thick, flat piece of a hard material
The builders used large concrete slabs to create the patio.
💡 Simply: Imagine a big, thick slice of something solid like a giant cookie or a piece of stone. That's a slab!
👶 For kids: A big, flat, thick piece of something hard, like a rock or a cookie sheet.
More Examples
She placed a slab of marble on the counter.
He was tasked with moving a heavy slab of granite.
How It's Used
"They poured a concrete slab for the foundation of the building."
"He cut a thick slab of cheese for his sandwich."
"The geologist studied the rock slab for fossils."
To apply a substance thickly or heavily.
/slæb/
To apply a substance in a thick layer
She slabbed a thick layer of sunscreen onto her skin.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're spreading something like frosting or mud on something else—but you're piling it on thick! That's 'slabbing' it.
👶 For kids: To put a lot of something on something else, like spreading a lot of butter on toast.
More Examples
The chef slabbed the sauce onto the pasta.
The child slabbed the paint onto the paper with his fingers.
How It's Used
"He slabbed the frosting onto the cake."
"The artist slabbed the paint onto the canvas with a palette knife."
From Middle English slabbe, probably of Scandinavian origin, related to Old Norse slā ('slice').
Historically, the word 'slab' was used in a similar context, referring to a large piece of something solid.
Memory tip
Think of a flat, sturdy piece of something, like a table or countertop.
Word Origin
"slice, piece"