4 N‑COUNT A slug is a bullet. [mainly AM , INFORMAL ]
slug|ger /slʌ gə r / (sluggers ) N‑COUNT In baseball, a slugger is a player who hits the ball very hard. [AM ]
slug|gish /slʌ g I ʃ/ ADJ You can describe something as sluggish if it moves, works, or reacts much slower than you would like or is normal. □ The economy remains sluggish. □ Circulation is much more sluggish in the feet than in the hands.
sluice /sluː s/ (sluices , sluicing , sluiced )
1 N‑COUNT A sluice is a passage that carries a current of water and has a barrier, called a sluice gate, which can be opened and closed to control the flow of water.
2 VERB If you sluice something or sluice it down or out, you wash it with a stream of water. □ [V n] He sluiced the bath and filled it.
slum /slʌ m/ (slums ) N‑COUNT [oft N n] A slum is an area of a city where living conditions are very bad and where the houses are in bad condition. □ …inner-city slums in the old cities of the north and east.
slum|ber /slʌ mbə r / (slumbers , slumbering , slumbered ) N‑VAR Slumber is sleep. [LITERARY ] □ He had fallen into exhausted slumber. □ He roused Charles from his slumbers. ● VERB Slumber is also a verb. □ [V ] The older three girls are still slumbering peacefully.
slu m|ber par|ty (slumber parties ) N‑COUNT A slumber party is an occasion when a group of young friends spend the night together at the home of one of the group. [mainly AM ]
slump /slʌ mp/ (slumps , slumping , slumped )
1 VERB If something such as the value of something slumps , it falls suddenly and by a large amount. □ [V prep] Net profits slumped by 41%. □ [V prep] Government popularity in Scotland has slumped to its lowest level since the 1970s. [Also V ] ● N‑COUNT Slump is also a noun. □ [+ in ] …a slump in property prices.
2 N‑COUNT A slump is a time when many people in a country are unemployed and poor. □ [+ of ] …the slump of the early 1980s.
3 VERB If you slump somewhere, you fall or sit down there heavily, for example because you are very tired or you feel ill. □ [V prep/adv] She slumped into a chair. □ [V -ed] He saw the driver slumped over the wheel.
slung /slʌ ŋ/ Slung is the past tense and past participle of sling .
slunk /slʌ ŋk/ Slunk is the past tense and past participle of slink .
slur /slɜː r / (slurs , slurring , slurred )
1 N‑COUNT A slur is an insulting remark which could damage someone's reputation. □ [+ on ] This is yet another slur on the integrity of the Metropolitan Police.
2 VERB If someone slurs their speech or if their speech slurs , they do not pronounce each word clearly, because they are drunk, ill, or sleepy. □ [V n] He repeated himself and slurred his words more than usual. □ [V ] The newscaster's speech began to slur.
slurp /slɜː r p/ (slurps , slurping , slurped )
1 VERB If you slurp a liquid, you drink it noisily. □ [V n + from/off ] He blew on his soup before slurping it off the spoon. □ [V adv n] He slurped down a cup of sweet, black coffee. [Also V n, V ]
2 N‑COUNT A slurp is a noise that you make with your mouth when you drink noisily, or a mouthful of liquid that you drink noisily. □ He takes a slurp from a cup of black coffee.
slur|ry /slʌ ri, [AM ] slɜː ri/ (slurries ) N‑VAR Slurry is a watery mixture of something such as mud, animal waste, or dust. □ …farm slurry and industrial waste.
slush /slʌ ʃ/ N‑UNCOUNT Slush is snow that has begun to melt and is therefore very wet and dirty. □ Becker's eyes were as cold and grey as the slush on the pavements outside.
slu sh fund (slush funds ) N‑COUNT A slush fund is a sum of money collected to pay for an illegal activity, especially in politics or business. □ He's accused of misusing $17.5 million from a secret government slush fund.
slushy /slʌ ʃi/ (slushier , slushiest )
1 ADJ Slushy ground is covered in dirty, wet snow. □ Here and there a drift across the road was wet and slushy.
2 ADJ If you describe a story or idea as slushy , you mean you dislike it because it is extremely romantic and sentimental. [DISAPPROVAL ]
slut /slʌ t/ (sluts ) N‑COUNT People sometimes refer to a woman as a slut when they consider her to be very immoral in her sexual behaviour. [OFFENSIVE , DISAPPROVAL ]
sly /sla I /
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A sly look, expression, or remark shows that you know something that other people do not know or that was meant to be a secret. □ His lips were spread in a sly smile. ● sly|ly ADV □ Anna grinned slyly.
2 ADJ If you describe someone as sly , you disapprove of them because they keep their feelings or intentions hidden and are clever at deceiving people. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ She is devious and sly and manipulative.
smack /smæ k/ (smacks , smacking , smacked )
1 VERB If you smack someone, you hit them with your hand. □ [V n] She smacked me on the side of the head. ● N‑COUNT Smack is also a noun. □ Sometimes he just doesn't listen and I end up shouting at him or giving him a smack.
2 VERB If you smack something somewhere, you put it or throw it there so that it makes a loud, sharp noise. □ [V n adv/prep] He smacked his hands down on his knees. □ [V n adv/prep] The midfielder smacked the ball against a post.