tie plate

1 of 2

noun

1

: one of several narrow plates to space and strengthen deck beams of a ship

2

: a plate to distribute the pressure of a tie (as on a supporting beam)

3

: a metal plate between a railroad rail and tie to assist in holding the rail to line and to protect the tie from mechanical wear

tie-plate

2 of 2

transitive verb

: to furnish (as a railroad track) with tie plates

Word History

Etymology

Transitive verb

tie plate

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!