Crossword Dictionary
Tile
tile, roofing tile - n
a thin flat slab of fired clay used for roofing
tile, thin, flat slab or block used structurally or decoratively in building. Traditionally, tiles have been made of glazed or unglazed fired clay, but modern tiles are also made of plastic, glass, asphalt, or asbestos cement. Acoustical tiles are manufactured from fibreboard or other sound-absorbing materials. Glass blocks are used in partitions. Hollow, ceramic-glazed structural tile is used for partitions in public buildings.
Modern ceramic roofing tile, similar to brick, is substantially the same in form as the classic ancient types; improvements have been made only in manufacturing methods, not in design. The most common type of covering for a small house roof in England and parts of France is flat tile designed to hook over roof battens or boards. In Italy, Spain, Greece, and Turkey, pitched roofs are covered with a layer of concave tiles, with convex over-tiles.
Floor tiles are usually made in small geometric shapes. They are machine-pressed, made of fine clays, thoroughly vitrified, and very hard. A gritty substance such as silicon carbide may be added to prevent slipping, even when the tile is wet.