2 N‑SING If something is on a slant , it is in a slanting position. □ You're slightly above the garden because the house is on a slant. □ …long pockets cut on the slant.
3 VERB [usu passive] If information or a system is slanted , it is made to show favour towards a particular group or opinion. □ [be V -ed] The programme was deliberately slanted to make the home team look good. [Also be V -ed prep]
4 N‑SING A particular slant on a subject is a particular way of thinking about it, especially one that is unfair. □ The political slant at Focus can be described as centre-right.
slap /slæ p/ (slaps , slapping , slapped )
1 VERB If you slap someone, you hit them with the palm of your hand. □ [V n] He would push or slap her once in a while. □ [V n adv/prep] I slapped him hard across the face. ● N‑COUNT [usu sing] Slap is also a noun. □ He reached forward and gave her a slap.
2 VERB If you slap something onto a surface, you put it there quickly, roughly, or carelessly. □ [V n + on/onto ] The barman slapped the cup on to the waiting saucer.
3 VERB If journalists say that the authorities slap something such as a tax or a ban on something, they think it is unreasonable or put on without careful thought. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ [V n + on ] The government slapped a ban on the export of unprocessed logs.
4 PHRASE If you describe something that someone does as a slap in the face , you mean that it shocks or upsets you because it shows that they do not support you or respect you. □ [+ for ] 'The Sun' calls it a massive slap in the face for the United States government. □ Britons persist in treating any pay rise of less than 5% as a slap in the face.
sla p ba ng also slap-bang ADV Slap bang is used in expressions such as slap bang in the middle of somewhere to mean exactly in that place. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ Of course, slap-bang in the middle of town the rents are high.
slap|dash /slæ pdæʃ/ also slap-dash ADJ If you describe someone as slapdash , you mean that they do things carelessly without much thinking or planning. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ Malcolm's work methods appear amazingly slapdash.
sla p-happy ADJ If you describe someone as slap-happy , you believe they are irresponsible and careless. □ …a slap-happy kind of cook.
slap|stick /slæ pst I k/ N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Slapstick is a simple type of comedy in which the actors behave in a rough and foolish way. □ …slapstick comedy.
sla p-up ADJ [ADJ n] A slap-up meal is a large enjoyable meal. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ We usually had one slap-up meal a day.
slash /slæ ʃ/ (slashes , slashing , slashed )
1 VERB If you slash something, you make a long, deep cut in it. □ [V n] He came within two minutes of bleeding to death after slashing his wrists. ● N‑COUNT Slash is also a noun. □ [+ in ] Make deep slashes in the meat and push in the spice paste.
2 VERB If you slash at a person or thing, you quickly hit at them with something such as a knife. □ [V + at ] He slashed at her, aiming carefully.
3 VERB To slash something such as costs or jobs means to reduce them by a large amount. [JOURNALISM ] □ [V n] Car makers could be forced to slash prices after being accused of overcharging yesterday.
4 You say slash to refer to a sloping line that separates letters, words, or numbers. For example, if you are giving the number 340/2/K you say 'Three four zero, slash two, slash K.' [SPOKEN ]
sla sh and bu rn also slash-and-burn N‑UNCOUNT [usu N n] Slash and burn is a method of farming that involves clearing land by destroying and burning all the trees and plants on it, farming there for a short time, and then moving on to clear a new piece of land. □ Traditional slash and burn farming methods have exhausted the soil.
slat /slæ t/ (slats ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] Slats are narrow pieces of wood, metal, or plastic, usually with spaces between them, that are part of things such as Venetian blinds or cupboard doors.
slate /sle I t/ (slates , slating , slated )
1 N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Slate is a dark-grey rock that can be easily split into thin layers. Slate is often used for covering roofs. □ … a stone-built cottage, with a traditional slate roof.
2 N‑COUNT A slate is one of the small flat pieces of slate that are used for covering roofs.
3 N‑COUNT A slate is a list of candidates for an election, usually from the same party. □ [+ of ] The leadership want to present a single slate of candidates to be approved in an open vote.
4 V-PASSIVE If something is slated to happen, it is planned to happen at a particular time or on a particular occasion. [mainly AM ] □ [be V -ed to-inf] He was slated to become U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. □ [be V -ed + for ] Controversial energy measures are slated for Senate debate within days.
5 VERB [usu passive] If something is slated , it is criticized very severely. [BRIT , JOURNALISM ] □ [be V -ed] His new restaurant has been slated by a top food critic.
6 PHRASE If you start with a clean slate , you do not take account of previous mistakes or failures and make a fresh start. □ The proposal is to pay everything you owe, so that you can start with a clean slate.
7 PHRASE If you wipe the slate clean , you decide to forget previous mistakes, failures, or debts and to start again. □ Why not wipe the slate clean and start all over again?
slath|er /slæ ðə r / (slathers , slathering , slathered ) VERB If you slather something with a substance, or slather a substance onto something, you put the substance on in a thick layer. □ [V n with adv] If your skin is dry, you have to slather on moisturiser to soften it. □ [be V -ed prep] …pieces of toast slathered with butter and marmalade. [Also V n prep]