slip

Etymology

Definitions

1. 1

   To lose one’s traction on a slippery surface

   To lose one’s traction on a slippery surface; to slide due to a lack of friction.

   • [...] but in the damp conditions prevailing the driver sensibly was unwilling to attempt the climb up through Combe Down tunnel without help, for fear of slipping to a standstill in the unventilated bore, […]
   • Fernando Amorebieta seemed to have checked him, but a stepover created a fraction of room that became significant as the defender slipped, giving Falcao just enough space to curl a superb finish into the top corner.
2. 2

   To err.

   • There is one that slippeth in his speach, but not from his heart, and who is he that hath not offended with his tongue?
3. 3

   To accidentally reveal a secret or otherwise say something unintentionally.

4. ›+ 50 more definitionsshow fewer

   1. 4

      To move or fly (out of place)

      To move or fly (out of place); to shoot; often with out, off, etc.

      • A bone may slip out of place.
   2. 5

      To elude or evade by smooth movement.

      • I caught the thief, but he slipped my grasp and ran away.
   3. 6

      To pass (a note, money, etc.), often covertly.

      • She thanked the porter and slipped a ten-dollar bill into his hand.
   4. 7

      To cause to move smoothly and quickly

      To cause to move smoothly and quickly; to slide; to convey gently or secretly.

      • “This is a very urgent message for the countess’ ears alone,” replied Rokoff. “Tell her that she must arise and slip something about her and come to the telephone. I shall call up again in five minutes.”
   5. 8

      To move quickly and often secretively

      To move quickly and often secretively; to depart, withdraw, enter, appear, intrude, or escape as if by sliding.

      • Some errors slipped into the appendix.
      • Thrice the flitting shadow slipped away.
      • Thus one tradesman slips away, / To give his partner fairer play.
   6. 9

      To move down

      To move down; to slide.

      • Profits have slipped over the past six months.
      • The Cottagers had previously gone eight games without a win and had slipped into the relegation zone over Christmas, with boss Hughes criticised by fans after their 3-1 home defeat by fellow basement battlers West Ham on Boxing Day.
   7. 10

      To release (a dog, a bird of prey, etc.) to go after a quarry.

      • Lucento slipped me like his greyhound.
      • 'Well, it was one morning early in the spring,' said Lars, 'that I started for Linderudsœter, where I slipped Rap, and he was soon in full cry and made the hillside ring.'
   8. 11

      Clipping of sideslip (“to fly with the longitudinal axis misaligned with the relative…

      Clipping of sideslip (“to fly with the longitudinal axis misaligned with the relative wind”).

   9. 12

      To remove the skin of a soft fruit, such as a tomato or peach, by blanching briefly in…

      To remove the skin of a soft fruit, such as a tomato or peach, by blanching briefly in boiling water, then transferring to cold water so that the skin peels, or slips, off easily.

   10. 13

       To omit

       To omit; to lose by negligence.

       • And slip no advantage / That may secure you.
   11. 14

       To cut slips from

       To cut slips from; to cut; to take off; to make a slip or slips of.

       • to slip a piece of cloth or paper
       • The branches also may be slipped and planted.
   12. 15

       To cause to slip or slide off, or out of place.

       • A horse slips his bridle; a dog slips his collar.
   13. 16

       To bring forth (young) prematurely

       To bring forth (young) prematurely; to slink.

   14. 17

       To cause (a schedule or release, etc.) to go, or let it go, beyond the allotted deadline.

       • We have been consistently slipping the product release schedules.
       • If you are going to slip the schedule, make it a big slip and make it early in your endgame effort so that your stakeholders can respond and adjust around you.
       • As for trains, the contract was due to be awarded last year, but Rayner confirms that this has slipped and will now be awarded next year.
   15. 18

       An act or instance of slipping.

       • I had a slip on the ice and bruised my hip.
   16. 19

       A woman's undergarment worn under a skirt or dress to conceal unwanted nudity that may…

       A woman's undergarment worn under a skirt or dress to conceal unwanted nudity that may otherwise be revealed by the skirt or dress itself; a shift.

   17. 20

       A slipdress.

   18. 21

       A mistake or error.

       • a slip of the tongue
       • This good man's slip mended his pace to martyrdom.
       • In quoting this passage I have taken the liberty to correct a grammatical slip.
   19. 22

       A berth

       A berth; a space for a ship to moor.

   20. 23

       A difference between the theoretical distance traveled per revolution of the propeller…

       A difference between the theoretical distance traveled per revolution of the propeller and the actual advance of the vessel.

   21. 24

       A slipway.

   22. 25

       A one-time return to previous maladaptive behavior after cure.

   23. 26

       Any of several fielding positions to the off side of the wicket keeper, designed to catch…

       Any of several fielding positions to the off side of the wicket keeper, designed to catch the ball after being deflected from the bat; a fielder in that position (See first slip, second slip, third slip, fourth slip and fifth slip.)

       • He took a screamer at slip.
   24. 27

       A number between 0 and 1 that is the difference between the angular speed of a rotating…

       A number between 0 and 1 that is the difference between the angular speed of a rotating magnetic field and the angular speed of its rotor, divided by the angular speed of the magnetic field.

   25. 28

       A leash or string by which a dog is held

       A leash or string by which a dog is held; so called from its being made in such a manner as to slip, or become loose, by relaxation of the hand.

       • We stalked over the extensive plains with Killbuck and Lena in the slips, in search of deer.
   26. 29

       An escape

       An escape; a secret or unexpected desertion.

       • He gave the warden the slip and escaped from the prison.
       • This morning I made a slip from the Office to White Hall.
   27. 30

       Clipping of sideslip.

   28. 31

       A portion of the columns of a newspaper, etc., struck off by itself

       A portion of the columns of a newspaper, etc., struck off by itself; a proof from a column of type when set up and in the galley.

   29. 32

       A child's pinafore.

   30. 33

       An outside covering or case.

       • a pillow slip
       • the slip or sheath of a sword
   31. 34

       A counterfeit piece of money, made from brass covered with silver.

       • ROMEO:[…]Good morrow to you both. What counterfeit did I give you? MERCUTIO:The slip, sir, the slip. Can you not conceive?
   32. 35

       Matter found in troughs of grindstones after the grinding of edge tools.

       • the Grindstone, commonly called Slipp, is used to the same purpose in dying of Silks.
   33. 36

       A particular quantity of yarn.

   34. 37

       A narrow passage between buildings.

   35. 38

       Either side of the gallery in a theater.

       • The gallery contains nine rows of seats, besides those in the slips.
   36. 39

       A long seat or narrow pew in churches, often without a door.

   37. 40

       A dislocation of a lead, destroying continuity.

   38. 41

       The motion of the centre of resistance of the float of a paddle wheel, or the blade of an…

       The motion of the centre of resistance of the float of a paddle wheel, or the blade of an oar, through the water horizontally, or the difference between a vessel's actual speed and the speed it would have if the propelling instrument acted upon a solid; also, the velocity, relatively to still water, of the backward current of water produced by the propeller.

   39. 42

       The difference between the actual and synchronous speeds of an induction motor.

   40. 43

       The positional displacement in a sequence of transmitted symbols that causes the loss or…

       The positional displacement in a sequence of transmitted symbols that causes the loss or insertion of one or more symbols.

   41. 44

       A fish, the sole.

   42. 45

       A newsletter produced by the setter of a cryptic clue-writing competition, containing a…

       A newsletter produced by the setter of a cryptic clue-writing competition, containing a full list of winners and commentary on the clues.

       • Manley is also a regular at the top of the Azed slip. As the two men talked, they quoted memorable clues as if they were lines of poetry.
       • Over the years I have given my views several times on this issue, both in the slips and in my 2006 book A-Z of Crosswords, but it will do no harm to repeat them yet again.
   43. 46

       A twig or shoot

       A twig or shoot; a cutting.

       • a slip from a vine
   44. 47

       A descendant, a scion.

       • a native slip to us from foreign seeds
   45. 48

       A young person (now usually with of introducing descriptive qualifier).

       • She couldn't hurt a fly, young slip of a girl that she is.
   46. 49

       A long, thin piece of something.

       • Never, nevermore / Shall lone Œnone see the morning mist / Sweep thro' them—never see them overlaid / With narrow moonlit slips of silver cloud, / Between the loud stream and the trembling stars.
   47. 50

       A small piece of paper, especially one longer than it is wide, typically a form for…

       A small piece of paper, especially one longer than it is wide, typically a form for writing on or one giving printed information.

       • a salary slip
   48. 51

       A memorandum of the particulars of a risk for which a policy is to be executed. It…

       A memorandum of the particulars of a risk for which a policy is to be executed. It usually bears the broker's name and is initiated by the underwriters.

   49. 52

       A thin, slippery mix of clay and water.

       • The Wasserpfeife or water-whistle from Moravia was a bird whistle made during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. […] The bird is of a grey and brown mottled glaze with sgraffito markings and touches of green slip.
   50. 53

       Mud, slime.

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