Slip

Pronunciation

• enPR: slÄ­p, IPA: /slɪp/
• Rhymes: -ɪp

Old English slype, of uncertain origin.

Full definition of slip

Noun

1. (obsolete) Mud, slime.
2. (ceramics) A thin, slippery mix of clay and water.

Probably from Middle Dutch slippe or Middle Low German slippe. Compare Dutch slip, German Schlippe.

Noun

1. A twig or shoot; a cutting.a slip from a vine
2. (obsolete) A descendant, a scion.
• Shakespearea native slip to us from foreign seeds
3. A young person (now usually with of introducing descriptive qualifier).She couldn't hurt a fly, young slip of a girl that she is.
4. A long, thin piece of something.
• Tennysonmoonlit slips of silver cloud
5. A small piece of paper, especially one longer than it is wide.

Derived terms

• pink slip
• sales slip

Apparently from Middle Low German slippen (Dutch slippen, German schlippen).

Verb

1. (intransitive) To lose one's traction on a slippery surface; to slide due to a lack of friction.
• 2012, May 9, Jonathan Wilson, Europa League: Radamel Falcao's Atlético Madrid rout Athletic Bilbao, 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. (intransitive) To err.
• Bible, Eccl. xix. 16There is one that slippeth in his speech, but not from his heart.
3. (intransitive) To move or fly (out of place); to shoot; often with out, off, etc.A bone may slip out of place.
4. (transitive) To pass (a note, money, etc.) often covertly.She thanked the porter and slipped a ten-dollar bill into his hand.
5. (transitive) To cause to move smoothly and quickly; to slide; to convey gently or secretly.
• ArbuthnotHe tried to slip a powder into her drink.
6. (intransitive) To move quickly and often secretively; to depart, withdraw, enter, appear, intrude, or escape as if by sliding.Some errors slipped into the appendix.
• PriorThus one tradesman slips away,
  To give his partner fairer play.
• DrydenThrice the flitting shadow slipped away.
• 1883, Robert Louis Stevenson, We slipped along the hedges, noiseless and swift...
7. (intransitive, figuratively) To move down; to slide.Profits have slipped over the past six months.
• 2010, December 28, Marc Vesty, Stoke 0 - 2 Fulham, 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.
8. (transitive, falconry) To release (a dog, a bird of prey, etc.) to go after a quarry.
• ShakespeareLucento slipped me like his greyhound.
9. (transitive, cooking) 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. (obsolete) To omit; to lose by negligence.
• Ben JonsonAnd slip no advantage
  That may secure you.
11. To cut slips from; to cut; to take off; to make a slip or slips of.to slip a piece of cloth or paper
• MortimerThe branches also may be slipped and planted.
12. To cause to slip or slide off, or out of place.A horse slips his bridle; a dog slips his collar.
13. To bring forth (young) prematurely; to slink.

Noun

1. An act or instance of slipping.I had a slip on the ice and bruised my hip.
2. A women's undergarment worn under a skirt or dress; a shift.
3. A mistake or error.a slip of the tongue
• FullerThis good man's slip mended his pace to martyrdom.
4. (nautical) A berth; a space for a ship to moor.
5. (nautical) A difference between the theoretical distance traveled per revolution of the propeller and the actual advance of the vessel.
6. (medicine) A one-time return to previous maladaptive behaviour after cure.
7. (cricket) 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.)
8. 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.
9. 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.
• Sir S. BakerWe stalked over the extensive plains with Killbuck and Lena in the slips, in search of deer.
10. An escape; a secret or unexpected desertion.He gave the warden the slip and escaped from the prison.
11. (printing, dated) 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.
12. (dated) A child's pinafore.
13. An outside covering or case.a pillow slipthe slip or sheath of a sword
14. (obsolete) A counterfeit piece of money, made from brass covered with silver.
15. Matter found in troughs of grindstones after the grinding of edge tools.
16. A particular quantity of yarn.
17. (UK, dated) A narrow passage between buildings.
18. (US) A long seat or narrow pew in churches, often without a door.
19. (mining) A dislocation of a lead, destroying continuity.
20. (engineering) 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.
21. A fish, the sole.

Synonyms

• (a mistake) blooper, blunder, boo-boo, defect, error, fault, faux pas, fluff, gaffe, lapse, mistake, stumble, thinko
• (return to previous behaviour) lapse

Derived terms

• (undergarment) full slip, waist slip

Related terms

Anagrams

• lips, LISP, Lisp, lisp