5 N‑COUNT A sling is a piece of cloth which supports someone's broken or injured arm and is tied round their neck. □ She was back at work with her arm in a sling.
6 → see also mud-slinging
sling|shot /sl I ŋʃɒt/ (slingshots ) N‑COUNT A slingshot is a catapult . [AM ]
slink /sl I ŋk/ (slinks , slinking , slunk ) VERB If you slink somewhere, you move there quietly because you do not want to be seen. □ [V adv/prep] He decided that he couldn't just slink away, so he went and sat next to his wife.
slinky /sl I ŋki/ (slinkier , slinkiest ) ADJ [usu ADJ n] Slinky clothes fit very closely to a woman's body in a way that makes her look sexually attractive. □ She's wearing a slinky black mini-skirt.
slip ◆◆◇ /sl I p/ (slips , slipping , slipped )
1 VERB If you slip , you accidentally slide and lose your balance. □ [V ] He had slipped on an icy pavement. □ [V ] Be careful not to slip.
2 VERB If something slips , it slides out of place or out of your hand. □ [V ] His glasses had slipped. □ [V prep/adv] The hammer slipped out of her grasp.
3 VERB If you slip somewhere, you go there quickly and quietly. □ [V adv/prep] Amy slipped downstairs and out of the house.
4 VERB If you slip something somewhere, you put it there quickly in a way that does not attract attention. □ [V n prep] I slipped a note under Louise's door. □ [V n with adv] Just slip in a piece of paper.
5 VERB If you slip something to someone, you give it to them secretly. □ [V n n] Robert had slipped her a note in school. □ [V n + to ] She looked round before pulling out a package and slipping it to the man.
6 VERB To slip into a particular state or situation means to pass gradually into it, in a way that is hardly noticed. □ [V + into ] It amazed him how easily one could slip into a routine.
7 VERB If something slips to a lower level or standard, it falls to that level or standard. □ [V + to/from/by ] Shares slipped to 117p. □ [V amount] In June, producer prices slipped 0.1% from May. □ [V ] Overall business activity is slipping. ● N‑SING Slip is also a noun. □ [+ in ] …a slip in consumer confidence.
8 VERB If you slip into or out of clothes or shoes, you put them on or take them off quickly and easily. □ [V + into/out of ] She slipped out of the jacket and tossed it on the couch. □ [V n with on/off ] I slipped off my woollen gloves.
9 N‑COUNT A slip is a small or unimportant mistake. □ We must be well prepared, there must be no slips.
10 N‑COUNT A slip of paper is a small piece of paper. □ [+ of ] …little slips of paper he had torn from a notebook. □ I put her name on the slip.
11 N‑COUNT A slip is a thin piece of clothing that a woman wears under her dress or skirt.
12 → see also Freudian slip
13 PHRASE If you give someone the slip , you escape from them when they are following you or watching you. [INFORMAL ] □ He gave reporters the slip by leaving at midnight.
14 PHRASE If you let slip information, you accidentally tell it to someone, when you wanted to keep it secret. □ I bet he let slip that I'd gone to America.
15 PHRASE If something slips your mind , you forget about it. □ The reason for my visit had obviously slipped his mind.
16 to slip through your fingers → see finger
17 slip of the tongue → see tongue
▸ slip in PHRASAL VERB If you slip in a question or comment, you ask or make it without interrupting the flow of the conversation. □ [V P n] Slip in a few questions about other things. [Also V n P ]
▸ slip through PHRASAL VERB If something or something slips through a set of checks or rules, they are accepted when in fact they should not be. □ [V P n] …hardened trouble-makers who have slipped through the security checks. □ [V P ] The slightest little bit of inattention can let something slip through.
▸ slip up
1 PHRASAL VERB If you slip up , you make a small or unimportant mistake. □ [V P ] There were occasions when we slipped up.
2 → see also slip-up
sli p-on (slip-ons ) ADJ [ADJ n] Slip-on shoes have nothing fastening them. □ …slip-on boat shoes. ● N‑COUNT Slip-on is also a noun. □ He removed his brown slip-ons.
slip|page /sl I p I dʒ/ (slippages ) N‑VAR Slippage is a failure to maintain a steady position or rate of progress, so that a particular target or standard is not achieved. □ [+ in ] …a substantial slippage in the value of sterling.
sli pped di sc (slipped discs ) N‑COUNT If you have a slipped disc , you have a bad back because one of the discs in your spine has moved out of its proper position.
slip|per /sl I pə r / (slippers ) N‑COUNT Slippers are loose, soft shoes that you wear at home.
slip|pery /sl I pəri/
1 ADJ Something that is slippery is smooth, wet, or oily and is therefore difficult to walk on or to hold. □ The tiled floor was wet and slippery. □ Motorists were warned to beware of slippery conditions.