Search Chambers
Consult Chambers 21st Century Dictionary, The Chambers Thesaurus (1996) or Chambers Biographical Dictionary (1997 edition with amendments). Enter your search and choose your title from the drop-down menu.
Search Results for 'slip'
slip1 verb (slipped, slipping) 1 intrans to lose one's footing and slide accidentally. 2 intrans to make a slight mistake inadvertently rather than due to ignorance. 3 intrans to lapse morally. 4 tr & intr said of a clutch in a vehicle: to fail to engage correctly. 5 intrans to slide, move or drop accidentally • The dish slipped from his hands. 6 to place smoothly, quietly or secretively • She slipped the envelope into her pocket. 7 tr & intr to move or cause to move quietly, smoothly or unobtrusively with a sliding motion • He slipped into the church in the middle of the service. 8 to pull free from someone or something smoothly and swiftly; to suddenly escape from them or it • The dog slipped its lead • The name has slipped my mind. 9 colloq to give or pass secretly • She slipped him a fiver. 10 intrans, colloq to lose one's former skill or expertise, or control of a situation. 11 to dislocate (a spinal disc). noun 1 an instance of losing one's footing and sliding accidentally. 2 a minor and usually inadvertent mistake. 3 a slight error or transgression. 4 an escape. 5 a slight dislocation. 6 a landslide (sense 1). 7 a woman's undergarment, worn under a dress or skirt. 8 a loose covering for a pillow. 9 a slipway. 10 cricket a one of three fielders (first slip, second slip and third slip) standing near to and roughly in line with the wicket-keeper on the on side; b (often slips) this fielding position. give someone the slip colloq to escape from them skilfully or adroitly. let something slip 1 to reveal it accidentally. 2 to fail to take advantage of something, especially an opportunity. slip of the tongue or pen a word, phrase, etc said or written in error when something else was intended.
ETYMOLOGY: 13c: from German dialect slippen.
slip in, out, etc to move quietly and unnoticed. slip into something colloq to put it on quickly and easily. slip off 1 to fall off. 2 to withdraw or go away quietly. slip something off to take it off quickly and easily • She slipped off her coat. slip something on to put it on loosely or hastily. slip up to make a slight mistake inadvertently. See also slip-up. |
slip2 noun 1 a small strip or piece of paper. 2 anything slender or narrow. 3 a small pre-printed form. 4 a young or exceptionally slender person • She's just a slip of a girl.
ETYMOLOGY: 15c as slippe.
slip3 noun a creamy mixture of clay and water used for decorating pottery.
ETYMOLOGY: Anglo-Saxon slipa paste.
Hard copies of both the Chambers 21st Century Dictionary and the current edition of The Chambers Thesaurus are available to buy.
A major new edition of the Chambers Biographical Dictionary will be published in August 2010. For more information visit the Hodder Education website.
