Plate (n)  baseball term used for shortened home plate

Plate (n)  thin sheet of metal used to strengthen bone or building structure

Plate (n)  thin piece of metal attached to a door or a car with a name or number

Plate (v)  to arrange food on a serving platter or dish

Plate (v)  to cover another piece of metal with a thin sheet of a different metal.

Plate (n)  a flat dish, typically round, on which food is served or eaten

I originally chose this word today due to the proximity of timing to Thanksgiving and the number of plates we will all be filling.  When I delved into the definitions, it was like peeling an onion, one led to another and then another, so here we go!

Since baseball is huge sport both with the young and old, racing to the plate is common.  Whether it is the kiddos playing peewee sports, Little League or school leagues, there are a lot of parents cheering them on to get to that home plate!  Since home is imbedded into the ground to make it level with the dirt, it seems like the reason for its name.  However, it actually derived from before 1899 when home base was typically round.  It was any number of materials – marble, stone, glass or even just an ordinary dinner plate!  Thus, the name, home plate.  The shape and material were changed later to differentiate it from the other bases and create an easier shape to help determine the strike zone, however the home plate name stayed.

Another plate is critical in holding things together.  Whether it is a plate to adhere bones together to promote strength and healing or to create a strong bond in a building joint, plates are key components.  Any who have gone through breaks or reconstructive surgeries are grateful for these medical miracles!

Plates are also used to identify our vehicles or office doors.  They’re important in letting us know who is where.  Whether a medical professional, an attorney or government organization, most personnel have name and department plates near their entrances.  License plates while functional for vehicle registration, are entertaining during long drives or while maneuvering traffic slowdowns.  It’s a challenge to figure out some of the vanity plates or to ponder why someone would choose that specific identifier.

So many plates!  Both in definitions and at the holidays!  For Thanksgiving, does your family stick to a few basic favorites or do all the foods get made to cater to the different tastes and eating restrictions?  We tend to lean on the latter.  For a small family, there are more options than people!  The best part, besides the overflowing plates of goodness, is the leftover plates of deliciousness!  We are blessed with an abundance of more than enough!

May your household, big or small, be blessed with a bounty of love, laughter and overflowing plates this Thanksgiving week!