2 ADJ You can describe someone as slippery if you think that they are dishonest in a clever way and cannot be trusted. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ He is a slippery customer, and should be carefully watched.
3 PHRASE If someone is on a slippery slope , they are involved in a course of action that is difficult to stop and that will eventually lead to failure or trouble. □ The company started down the slippery slope of believing that they knew better than the customer.
sli p road (slip roads ) N‑COUNT A slip road is a road which cars use to drive on and off a motorway. [BRIT ] in AM, use entrance ramp , exit ramp
slip|shod /sl I pʃɒd/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] If something is slipshod , it has been done in a careless way. □ The hotel had always been run in a slipshod way.
slip|stream /sl I pstriːm/ (slipstreams ) N‑COUNT The slipstream of a fast-moving object such as a car, plane, or boat is the flow of air directly behind it. □ He left a host of other riders trailing in his slipstream.
sli p-up (slip-ups ) N‑COUNT A slip-up is a small or unimportant mistake. [INFORMAL ] □ There's been a slip-up somewhere.
slip|way /sl I pwe I / (slipways ) N‑COUNT A slipway is a large platform that slopes down into the sea, from which boats are put into the water.
slit /sl I t/ (slits , slitting ) The form slit is used in the present tense and is the past tense and past participle. 1 VERB If you slit something, you make a long narrow cut in it. □ [V n] They say somebody slit her throat. □ [V n with open ] He began to slit open each envelope. □ [V -ed + to/from ] She was wearing a white dress slit to the thigh.
2 N‑COUNT A slit is a long narrow cut. □ [+ in ] Make a slit in the stem about half an inch long.
3 N‑COUNT A slit is a long narrow opening in something. □ [+ in ] She watched them through a slit in the curtains.
slith|er /sl I ðə r / (slithers , slithering , slithered )
1 VERB If you slither somewhere, you slide along in an uneven way. □ [V prep/adv] Robert lost his footing and slithered down the bank.
2 VERB If an animal such as a snake slithers , it moves along in a curving way. □ [V prep/adv] The snake slithered into the water. [Also V ]
slith|ery /sl I ðəri/ ADJ Something that is slithery is wet or smooth, and so slides easily over things or is easy to slip on. □ …slithery rice noodles.
sliv|er /sl I və r / (slivers ) N‑COUNT A sliver of something is a small thin piece or amount of it. □ [+ of ] Not a sliver of glass remains where the windows were.
Sloane /sloʊ n/ (Sloanes ) N‑COUNT Rich young people from upper middle class backgrounds in London are sometimes called Sloanes . [BRIT ]
slob /slɒ b/ (slobs ) N‑COUNT If you call someone a slob , you mean that they are very lazy and untidy. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ My boyfriend used to call me a fat slob.
slob|ber /slɒ bə r / (slobbers , slobbering , slobbered ) VERB If a person or an animal slobbers , they let liquid fall from their mouth. □ [V prep] The dog tried to slobber all over me in the park. [Also V ]
sloe /sloʊ / (sloes ) N‑VAR A sloe is a small, sour fruit that has a dark purple skin. It is often used to flavour gin.
slog /slɒ g/ (slogs , slogging , slogged )
1 VERB If you slog through something, you work hard and steadily through it. [INFORMAL ] □ [V prep] They secure their degrees by slogging through an intensive 11-month course. □ [V + way through ] She has slogged her way through ballet classes since the age of six. ● PHRASAL VERB Slog away means the same as slog . □ [V P ] Edward slogged away, always learning.
2 N‑SING If you describe a task as a slog , you mean that it is tiring and requires a lot of effort. [INFORMAL ] □ There is little to show for the two years of hard slog.
slo|gan /sloʊ gən/ (slogans ) N‑COUNT A slogan is a short phrase that is easy to remember. Slogans are used in advertisements and by political parties and other organizations who want people to remember what they are saying or selling. □ They could campaign on the slogan 'We'll take less of your money'. WORD HISTORY slogan
Slogan comes from Gaelic sluaghghairm , which means 'war cry'.
slo|gan|eer|ing /sloʊ gən I ə r I ŋ/ N‑UNCOUNT Sloganeering is the use of slogans by people such as politicians or advertising agencies. □ [+ of ] …the sloganeering of the marketing department.
sloop /sluː p/ (sloops ) N‑COUNT A sloop is a small sailing boat with one mast.
slop /slɒ p/ (slops , slopping , slopped )
1 VERB If liquid slops from a container or if you slop liquid somewhere, it comes out over the edge of the container, usually accidentally. □ [V adv/prep] A little cognac slopped over the edge of the glass. □ [V n adv/prep] Refilling his cup, she slopped some tea into the saucer. [Also V , V n]
2 N‑UNCOUNT You can use slop or slops to refer to liquid waste containing the remains of food. □ Breakfast plates were collected and the slops emptied.
slope /sloʊ p/ (slopes , sloping , sloped )