A metal plate affixed to a doorjamb that holds the door closed when the door bolt is extended into a hole, protecting the jamb against friction from the bolt.

A plastic square consisting of a large letter L, placed on the front and rear of a vehicle to indicate that the driver is a learner. / (by extension, informal) The condition of being a novice or learner.

To coat a metal surface with a thin layer of silver, often electrolytically.

(physics, chemistry) A plate or tray in a distillation column that produces the best possible difference between the liquid and vapour phases in equilibrium with it; the equivalent concept in a fractionating column packed with beads or rings

(anatomy) In the human skull, a sieve-like region of the ethmoid bone (which separates the nasal cavity from the brain).

(baseball) A batter's completed turn in the batter's box. It usually results in an at-bat or walk, but may also result in a hit-by-pitch, sacrifice fly, sacrifice hit, or catcher's interference. If the third out of an inning is recorded prior to completion of the batter's turn, no plate appearance is credited to the batter, and he will lead off his team's next turn at bat.

plural of plate appearance

A thin layer of gold applied to the surface of an object, often by an electrolytic method. / Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see gold, plate.

To apply gold plate to an object, to plate with gold. / (of projects) To incorporate costly or otherwise excessive features or refinements unnecessarily, to overengineer.

A license plate whose identifier is chosen by the registering owner, usually to suggest a word or phrase.