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tile

1. To cover with tiles; as, to tile a house.

2. To cover, as if with tiles. The muscle, sinew, and vein, Which tile this house, will come again. (Donne)

Origin: Tiled; Tiling.

1. A plate, or thin piece, of baked clay, used for covering the roofs of buildings, for floors, for drains, and often for ornamental mantel works.

2. A small slab of marble or other material used for flooring. A plate of metal used for roofing.

3. (Science: chemistry) A small, flat piece of dried earth or earthenware, used to cover vessels in which metals are fused.

4. A draintile.

5. A stiff hat. Tile drain, a drain made of tiles. Tile earth, a species of strong, clayey earth; stiff and stubborn land. Tile kiln, a kiln in which tiles are burnt; a tilery.

(Science: chemical) Tile ore, an earthy variety of cuprite. Tile red, light red like the colour of tiles or bricks. Tile tea, a kind of hard, flat brick tea. See Brick tea, under Brick.

Origin: OE. Tile, tigel, AS. Tigel, tigol, fr. L. Tegula, from tegere to cover. See Thatch, and cf. Tegular.