SLAB'BER, verb intransitive To let the saliva or other liquid fall from the mouth carelessly; to drivel. It is also written slaver.

SLAB'BER, verb transitive

1. To sup up hastily, as liquid food.

2. To wet and foul by liquids suffered to fall carelessly from the mouth.

3. To shed; to spill.

SLAB'BERING, participle present tense Driveling.

SLAB'BY, adjective

1. Thick; viscous. [Not much used.]

2. Wet. [See Sloppy.]

SLAB'-LINE, noun A line or small rope by which seamen truss up the main-sail or fore-sail.

SLACK, adjective

1. Not tense; not hard drawn; not firmly extended; as a slack rope; slack rigging; slack shrouds.

2. Weak; remiss; not holding fast; as a slack hand.

3. Remiss; backward; not using due diligence; not earnest or eager; as slack in duty or service; slack in business.

4. Not violent; not rapid; slow; as a slack pace.

SLACK IN STAYS, in seamen's language, slow in going about; as a ship.

SLACK WATER, in seamen's language, the time when the tide runs slowly, or the water is at rest; or the interval between the flux and reflux of the tide.

SLACK, adverb Partially; insufficiently; not intensely; as slack dried hops; bread slack baked.

SLACK, noun The part of a rope that hangs loose, having no stress upon it.

SLACK, SLACK'EN, verb intransitive

1. To become less tense, firm or rigid; to decrease in tension; as, a wet cord slackens in dry weather.

2. To be remiss or backward; to neglect. Deuteronomy 23:21.

3. To lose cohesion or the quality of adhesion; as, lime slacks and crumbles into power.

4. To abate; to become less violent. Whence these raging fires will slacken, if his breath stir not their flames.

5. To lose rapidity; to become more slow; as, a current of water slackens; the tide slackens.

6.To languish; to fail; to flag.

SLACK, SLACK'EN, verb transitive

1. To lessen tension; to make less tense or tight; as, to slacken a rope or a bandage.

2. To relax; to remit; as, to slacken exertion or labor.

3. To mitigate; to diminish in severity; as, to slacken pain.

4. To become more slow; to lessen rapidity; as, to slacken one's pace.

5. To abate; to lower; as, to slacken the heat of a fire.

6. To relieve; to unbend; to remit; as, to slacken cares.

7. To withhold; to use less liberally.

8. To deprive or cohesion; as, to slack lime.

9. To repress; to check. I should be griev'd young prince, to think my presence unbent you thoughts and slacken'd 'em to arms.

10. To neglect. slack not the good presage.

11. To repress, or make less quick or active.

SLACK, noun Small coal; coal broken into small parts.

SLACK, noun A valley or small shallow dell.

SLACK'EN, noun Among miners, a spungy semi-vitrified substance which they mix with the ores of metals to prevent their fusion.

SLACK'LY, adverb

1. Not tightly; loosely.

2. Negligently; remissly.

SLACK'NESS, noun

1. Looseness; the state opposite to tension; not tightness or rigidness; as the slackness of a cord or rope.

2. Remissness; negligence; inattention; as the slackness of men in business or duty; slackness in the performance of engagements.

3. Slowness; tardiness; want of tendency; as the slackness of flesh to heal.

4. Weakness; not intenseness.

SLADE, noun A little dell or valley; also, a flat piece of low moist ground.

SLAG, noun The dross or recrement of a metal; or vitrified cinders.

SLAIE, noun A weaver's reed.

SLAIN, participle passive of slay; so written for slayen. Killed.

SLAKE, verb transitive To quench; to extinguish; as, to slake thirst. And slake the heav'nly fire.

SLAKE, verb intransitive

1. To go out; to become extinct.

2. To grow less tense. [a mistake for slack.]

SLAM, verb transitive

1. To strike with force and noise; to shut against; a violent shutting of a door.

2. To beat; to cuff.

3. To strike down; to slaughter.

4. To win all the tricks in a hand; as we say, to take all at a stroke or dash.

SLAM, noun

1. A violent driving and dashing against; a violent shutting of a door.

2. Defeat at cards, or the winning of all the tricks.

3. The refuse of alum-works; used in Yorkshire as a manure, with sea weed and lime.

SLAM'KIN, SLAM'MERKIN, noun A slut; a slatternly woman. [Not used.]

SLAM'KIN, SLAM'MERKIN, noun A slut; a slatternly woman. [Not used.]

SLA'NDER, noun

1. A false tale or report maliciously uttered. and tending to injure the reputation of another by lessening him in the esteem of his fellow citizens, by exposing min to impeachment and punishment, or by impairing his means of lining; defamation. slander that worst of poisons, ever finds an easy entrance to ignoble minds.

2 Disgrace; reproach; disreputation; ill name.

SLA'NDER, verb transitive To defame; to injure by maliciously uttering a false report respecting one; to tarnish or impair the reputation of one by false tales, maliciously told or propagated.

SLA'NDERED, participle passive Defamed; injured in good name by false and malicious reports.

SLA'NDERER, noun A defamer; one who injures another by maliciously reporting something to his prejudice.

SLA'NDERING, participle present tense Defaming.

SLA'NDEROUS, adjective

1. That utters defamatory words or tales; as a slanderous tongue.

2. Containing slander or defamation; calumnious; as slanderous words, speeches or reports, false and maliciously uttered.

3. Scandalous; reproachful.

SL'ANDEROUSLY, adverb With slander; calumniously; with false and malicious reproach.

SL'ANDEROUSNESS, noun The state or quality of being slanderous or defamatory.

SLANG, old preterit tense of sling. We now use slung.

SLANG, noun Low vulgar unmeaning language. [Low.]

SLANK, noun A plant. [alga marina.]

SLANT, STANTING, adjective Sloping; oblique; inclined from a direct line, whether horizontal or perpendicular; as a slanting ray of light; a slanting floor.

SL'ANTINGLY, adverb With a slope or inclination; also, with an oblique hint or remark.

SL'ANTLY, SL'ANTWISE, adverb Obliquely; in an inclined direction.

SL'ANTLY, SL'ANTWISE, adverb Obliquely; in an inclined direction.

SLAP, noun [Latin alapa and schloppus.] A blow given with the open hand, or with something broad.

SLAP, verb transitive To strike with the open hand, or with something broad.

SLAP, adverb With a sudden and violent blow.

SLAP'DASH, adverb [slap and dash.] All at once.

SLAPE, adjective Slippery; smooth.

SLAP'PER, SLAPPING, adjective Very large. [Vulgar.]

SLAP'PER, SLAPPING adjective Very large. [Vulgar.]

SLASH, verb transitive

1. To cut by striking violently and at random; to cut in long cuts.

2. To lash.

SLASH, verb intransitive To strike violently and at random with a sword, hanger or other edger instrument; to lay about one with blows. Hewing and slashing at their idle shades.

SLASH, noun A long cut; a cut made at random.

SLASH'ED, participle passive Cut at random.

SLASH'ING, participle present tense Striking violently and cutting at random.

SLAT, noun [This is doubtless the sloat of the English dictionaries. See Sloat.] A narrow piece of board or timber used to fasten together larger pieces; as the slats of a cart or a chair.

SLATCH, noun

1. In seamen's language, the period of a transitory breeze.

2. An interval of fair weather.

3. Slack.

SLATE, noun

1. An argillaceous stone which readily splits into plates; argillite; argillaceous shist.

2. A piece of smooth argillaceous stone, used for covering buildings.

3. A piece of smooth stone of the above species, used for writing on.

SLATE, verb intransitive To cover with slate or plates of stone; as, to slate a roof. [It does not signify to tile.]

SLA'TED, participle passive Covered with slates.

SLA'TER, verb intransitive

1. To be careless of dress and dirty.

2. To be careless, negligent or awkward; to spill carelessly.

SLAT'TERN, noun A woman who is negligent of her dress, or who suffers her clothes and furniture to be in disorder; one who is not neat and nice.

SLAT'TERN, verb intransitive To slattern away, to consume carelessly or wastefully; to waste.

SLAT'TERNLY, adverb Negligently; awkwardly.

SLA'TY, adjective Resembling slate; having the nature or properties of slate; as a slaty color or texture; a slaty feel.

SLAUGHTER, noun slaw'ter [See Slay.]

1. In a general sense, a killing. Applied to men, slaughter usually denotes great destruction of life by violent means; as the slaughter of men in battle.

2. Applied to beasts, butchery; a killing of oxen or other beasts for market.

SLAUGHTER, verb transitive slaw'ter.

1. To kill; to slay; to make great destruction of life; as , to slaughter men in battle.

2. To butcher; to kill for the market; as beasts.

SLAUGHTERED, participle passive slaw'tered. Slain; butchered.

SLAUGHTERING, participle present tense slaw'tering, Killing; destroying human life; butchering.

SLAUGHTEROUS, adjective slaw'terous. Destructive; murderous.

SLAVE, noun

1. A person who is wholly subject to the will of another; one who has no will of his own, but whose person and services are wholly under the control of another. In the early state of the world, and to this day among some barbarous nations, prisoners of war are considered and treated as slaves. The slaves of modern times are more generally purchased, like horses and oxen.

2. One who has lost the poser of resistance; or one who surrenders himself to any power whatever; as a slave to passion, to lust, to ambition.

3. A mean person; one in the lowest state of life.

4. A drudge; one who labors like a slave

SLAVE, verb intransitive To drudge; to toil; to labor as a slave

SLA'VEBORN, adjective Born in slavery.

SLA'VEISH, adjective

1. Pertaining to slaves; servile; mean; base; such as becomes a slave; as a slavish dependence on the great.

2. Servile; laborious; consisting in drudgery; as a slavish life.

SLA'VELIKE, adjective Like or becoming a slave.

SLAV'ER, noun [the same as slabber.] Saliva driveling from the mouth.

SLAV'ER, verb intransitive

1. To suffer the spittle to issue from the mouth.

2. To be besmeared with saliva.

SLAV'ER, verb transitive To smear with saliva issuing from the mouth; to defile with drivel.

SLAV'ERED, participle passive Defiled with drivel.

SLAV'ERER, noun A driveler; an idiot.

SLAV'ERING, participle present tense Letting fall saliva.

SLA'VERY, noun [See Slave.]

1. Bondage; the state of entire subjection of one person to the will of another. slavery is the obligation to labor for the benefit of the master, without the contract of consent of the servant. slavery may proceed from crimes, from captivity or from debt. slavery is also voluntary or involuntary; voluntary, when a person sells or yields his own person to the absolute command of another; involuntary, when he is placed under the absolute power of another without his own consent. slavery no longer exists in Great Britain, not in the northern states of America.

2. The offices of a slave; drudgery.

SLA'VISHLY, adverb Servilely; meanly; basely.

SLA'VISHNESS, noun The state or quality of being slavish; servility; meanness.

SLAVON'IC, adjective Pertaining to the Slavons or ancient inhabitants of Russia.

SLAVON'IC, noun The Slavonic language.

SLAVON'IC, adjective [from Sclavi, a people of the north of Europe.]

Pertaining to the Sclavi, a people that inhabited the country between the rivers Save and Drave, or to their language. Hence the word came to denote the language which is now spoken in Poland, Russia, Hungary, Bohemia, etc.

SLAY, verb transitive preterit tense slew; participle passive slain. [The proper sense is to strike, and as beating was an early mode of killing, this word, like smite, came to signify to kill. It seems to be formed on the root of lay; as we say to lay on.]

1. To kill; to put to death by a weapon or by violence. We say, he slew a man with a sword, with a stone, or with a club, or with other arms; but we never say, the serif slays a malefactor with a halter, or a man is slain on the gallows or by poison. So the slay retains something of its primitive sense of striking or beating. It is particularly applied to killing in battle, but is properly applied also to the killing of a individual man or beast.

2. To destroy.

SLA'YER, noun One that slays; a killer; a murderer; an assassin; a destroyer of life.

SLA'YING, participle present tense Killing; destroying life.

SLEAVE, noun The knotted or entangled part of silk or thread; silk or thread untwisted.

SLEAVE, verb transitive To separate threads; or to divide a collection of threads; to sley; a word used by weavers.

SLE'AVED, adjective Raw; not spun or wrought.

SLEA'ZY, SLEE'ZY, adjective [probably from the root of loose.] Thin; flimsy; wanting firmness of texture or substance; as sleezy silk or muslin.

SLED, noun A carriage or vehicle moved on runners, much used in America for conveying heavy weights in winter, as timber, wood, stone and the like.

SLED, verb transitive To convey or transport on a sled; as, to sled wood or timber.

SLED'DED, participle passive Conveyed on a sled.

SLED'DING, participle present tense Conveying on a sled.

SLED'DING, noun The act of transporting on a sled.

2. The means of conveying on sleds; snow sufficient for the running of sleds. Thus we say in America, when there is snow sufficient to run a sled, it is good sledding during the winter.

SLEDGE, noun

1. A larger heavy hammer; used chiefly by ironsmiths.

2. In England, a sled; a vehicle moved on runners or on low wheels. In this sense, the word is not used in America; but the same word is used in a somewhat different sense, and written sleigh.

SLEEK, adjective [See Like]

1. Smooth; having an even smooth surface; whence, glossy; as sleek hair. So sleek her skin, so faultless was her make.

2. Not rough or harsh, Those rugged names to our like mouths grow sleek

SLEEK, noun That which make smooth; varnish. [Little used.]

SLEEK, verb transitive

1. To make even and smooth; as, to sleek the hair.

2. To render smooth, soft and glossy. Gentle, my lord, sleek o'er your rugged looks.

SLEEK, adverb With ease and dexterity; with exactness. [Vulgar.]

SLEE'KLY, adverb Smoothly; nicely.

SLEE'KNESS, noun Smoothness of surface.

SLEE'KSTONE, noun A smoothing stone.

SLEE'KY, adjective Of a sleek or smooth appearance. [Not in use.]

SLEEP, verb intransitive preterit tense and participle passive slept.

1. To take rest by a suspension of the voluntary exercise of the powers of the body and mind. The proper time to sleep in during the darkness of night.

2. To rest; to be unemployed; to be inactive or motionless; as, the sword sleeps in its sheath.

3. To rest; to lie or be still; not to be noticed or agitated. The question sleeps for the present.

4. To live thoughtlessly. We sleep over our happiness.

5. To be dead; to rest in the grave for a time. I Thess. 4.

6. To be careless, inattentive or unconcerned; not be vigilant.

SLEEP, noun That state of an animal in which the voluntary exertion of his mental and corporeal powers is suspended, and he rests unconscious of what passes around him, and not affected by the ordinary impressions of external objects. sleep is generally attended with a relaxation of the muscles, but the involuntary motions, as respiration and the circulation of the blood, are continued. The mind is often very active in sleep; but its powers not being under the control of reason, its exercises are very irregular. sleep is the natural rest or repose intended by the Creator to restore the powers of the body and mind, when exhausted or fatigued.

SLEEP OF PLANTS, a state of plants at night, when their least droop or are folded.

SLEE'PER, noun

1. A person that sleeps; also, a drone or lazy person.

2. That which lies dormant, as a law not executed. [Not in use.]

3. AN animal that lies dormant in winter, as the bear, the marmot, _ c.

4. In building, the oblique rafter that lies in a gutter,

5. In New England, a floor timber.

6. In ship-building, a thick piece of timber placed longitudinally in a ship's hold, opposite the several scarfs of the timbers, for strengthening the bows and stern-frame, particularly in the Greenland ships; or a piece of long compass-timber fayed and bolted diagonally upon the transoms.

7. In the glass trade, a large iron bar crossing the smaller ones, hindering the passage of coals, but leaving room for the ashes.

8. A platform.

9. A fish. [exocatus.]

SLEE'PFUL, adjective Strongly inclined to sleep. [Little used.]

SLEE'PFULNESS, noun Strong inclination to sleep. [Little used.]

SLEE'PILY, adverb

1. Drowsily; with desire to sleep.

2. Dully; in a lazy manner; heavily Raleigh

3. Stupidly.

SLEE'PINESS, noun Drowsiness; inclination to sleep.

SLEE'PING, participle present tense Resting; reposing in sleep.

SLEE'PING, noun The state of resting in sleep.

SLEE'PLESS, adjective

1. Having no sleep; without sleep; wakeful.

2. Having no rest; perpetually agitated; as Biscay's sleepless bay.

SLEE'PLESSNESS, noun Want or destitution of sleep.

SLEE'PY, adjective

1. Drowsy; inclined to sleep.

2. Not awake. She wak'd her sleep crew.

3. Tending to induce sleep; soporiferous; somniferous; as a sleepy drink or potion.

SLEET, noun

1. A fall of hail or snow and rain together, usually in fine particles.

2. In gunnery, the part of the mortar passing form the chamber to the trunnions for strengthening that part.

SLEET, verb intransitive To snow or hail with a mixture of rain.

SLEE'TY, adjective Bringing sleet.

SLEEVE,

1. The part of a garment that is fitted to cover the arm; as the sleeve of a coat or gown.

2. The raveled sleeve of car, in Shakespeare. [See Sleave.]

TO LAUGH IN THE SLEEVE, to laugh privately or unperceived; that is perhaps, originally, by hiding the face under the sleeve or arm.

TO HANG ON THE SLEEVE, to be or make dependent on others.

SLEEVE, verb transitive

1. To furnish with sleeves; as a sleeveless coat.

2. Wanting a cover, pretext or palliation; unreasonable; as a sleeveless tale of tran substantiation; a sleeveless errand. [Little used.]

SLEA'ZY, SLEE'ZY, adjective [probably from the root of loose.] Thin; flimsy; wanting firmness of texture or substance; as SLEEZY silk or muslin.

SLEID, verb transitive To sley or prepare for use in the weaver's sley or slaie.

SLEIGH, noun sla. [probably allied to sleek.] A vehicle moved on runners, and greatly used in America for transporting persons or goods on snow or ice. [This word the English write and pronounce sledge, and apply it to what we calla sled.]

SLEIGHT, noun slite.

1. An artful trick; sly artifice; a trick or feat so dexterously performed that the manner of performance escapes observation; as sleight of hand.

2. Dexterous practice; dexterity.

SLEIGHTFUL, SLEIGHTY, adjective Artful; cunningly dexterous.

SLEIGHTFUL, SLEIGHTY adjective Artful; cunningly dexterous.

SLEN'DER, adjective

1. Thin; small in circumference compared with the length; not thick; as a slender stem or stalk of a plant.

2. Small in the waist; not thick or gross. A slender waist is considered as a beauty.

3. Not strong; small; slight. Mighty hearts are held in slender chains.

4. Weak; feeble; as slender hope; slender probabilities; a slender constitution.

5. Small; inconsiderable; as a man of slender parts.

6. Small; inadequate; as slender means of support; a slender pittance.

7. Not amply supplied. The good Ostorius often deign'd to grace my slender table.

8. Spare; abstemious; as a slender diet.

SLEN'DERLY, adverb

1. Without bulk.

2. Slightly; meanly; as a debt to be slenderly regarded.

3. Insufficiently; as a table slenderly supplied.

SLEN'DERNESS, noun Thinness; smallness of diameter in proportion to the length; as the slenderness of a hair.

2. Want of bulk or strength; as the slenderness of a cord or chain.

3. Weakness; slightness; as the slenderness of a reason.

4. Weakness; feebleness; as the slenderness of a constitution.

5. Want of plenty; as the slenderness of supply.

6. Spareness; as slenderness of diet.

SLENT, verb intransitive To make an oblique remark. [Not used. See Slant.]

SLEPT, preterit tense and participle passive of sleep.

SLATE, SLETE verb transitive To set a dog loose at any thing.

SLEW, preterit tense of slay.

SLEY, noun A weaver's reed. [See Sleave and Sleid.]

SLEY, verb transitive To separate; to part threads and arrange them in a reed; as weavers.

SLICE, verb transitive

1. To cut into thin pieces, or to cut off a thin broad piece.

2. To cut into parts.

3. To cut; to divide.

SLICE, noun A thin broad piece cut off; as a slice of bacon; a slice of cheese; a slice of bread.

2. A broad piece' as a slice of plaster.

3. A peel; a spatula; an instrument consisting of a broad plate with a handle, used by apothecaries for spreading plaster, _ c.

4. In ship-building, a tapering piece of plank to be driven between the timbers before planking.

SLI'CED, participle passive Cut into broad thin pieces.

SLICH, noun The ore of a metal when pounded and prepared for working.

SLI'CING, participle present tense Cutting into broad thin pieces.

SLICK , the popular pronunciation of sleek, and so written by some authors.

SLICK'ENSIDES, noun A name which workmen give to a variety of galena in Derbyshire.

SLID, preterit tense of slide.

SLID, SLID'DER, participle passive of slide.

SLID'DER, verb intransitive [See Slide.] To slide with interruption. [Not in use.]

SLID'DER, SLID'DERLY, adjective [See Slide.] Slippery. [Not in use.]

SLIDE, verb intransitive preterit tense slid; participle passive slid, slidden.

1. To move along the surface of any body by slipping, or without bounding or rolling; to slip; to glide; as, a sled slides on snow and ice; a snow-slip slides down the mountain's side.

2. To move along the surface without stepping; as, a man slides on ice.

3. To pass inadvertently. Make a door and a bar for thy mouth; beware thou slide not by it.

4. To pass smoothly along without jerks or agitation; as, a ship or boat slides through the water.

5. To pass in silent unobserved progression. Ages shall slide away without perceiving.

6. To pass silently and gradually from one state to another; as, to slide insensibly into vicious practices, or into the customs of others.

7. To pass without difficulty or obstruction. Parts answ'ring parts shall slide into a whole.

8. To practice sliding or moving on ice. They bathe in summer and in winter slide

9. To slip; to fall.

10. To pass with an easy, smooth, uninterrupted course or flow.

SLIDE, verb transitive

1. To slip; to pass or put in imperceptibly; as, to slide in a word to vary the sense of a question.

2. To thrust along; or to thrust by slipping; as, to slide along a piece of timber.

SLIDE, noun

1. A smooth and easy passage; also, a slider.

2. Flow; even course.

SLIDER, noun

1. One that slides.

2. The part of an instrument or machine that slides.

SLI'DING, participle present tense Moving along the surface by slipping; gliding; passing smoothly, easily or imperceptibly.

SLI'DING, noun Lapse; falling; used in backsliding.

SLIGHT, adjective [It seems that slight belongs to the family of sleek, smooth.]

1. Weak; inconsiderable; not forcible; as a slight impulse; a slight effort.

2. Not deep; as a slight impression.

3. Not violent; as a slight disease, illness or indisposition.

4. Trifling; of no great importance. slight is the subject, but not so the praise.

5. Not strong; not cogent. Some firmly embrace doctrines upon slight grounds.

6. Negligent; not vehement; not done with effort. The shaking of the head is a gesture of slight refusal.

7. Not firm or strong; thin; of loose texture; as slight silk.

8. Foolish; silly; weak in intellect.

SLIGHT, noun

1. Neglect; disregard; a moderate degree of contempt manifested negatively by neglect. It expresses less than contempt, disdain and scorn.

2. Artifice; dexterity. [See Sleight.]

SLIGHT, verb transitive

1. To neglect; to disregard from the consideration that a thing is of little value and unworthy of notice; as, to slight the divine commands, or the offers of mercy.

2. To overthrow; to demolish. [Not used.] 'The rogues slighted me into the river, ' in Shakespeare, is not used.

TO slight OVER, to run over in haste; to perform superficially; to treat carelessly; as, to slight over a theme.

SLIGHTED, participle passive Neglected.

SLIGHTEN, verb transitive To slight or disregard. [Not in use.]

SLIGHTER, noun One who neglects.

SLIGHTING, participle present tense Neglecting; disregarding.

SLIGHTINGLY, adverb With neglect; without respect.

SLIGHTLY, adverb

1. Weakly; superficially; with inconsiderable force or effect; in a small degree; as a man slightly wounded; an audience slightly affected with preaching.

2. Negligently; without regard; with moderate contempt.

SLIGHTNESS, noun

1. Weakness; want of force or strength; superficialness; as the slightness of a wound or an impression.

2. Negligence; want of attention; want of vehemence. How does it reproach the slightness of out sleepy heartless addresses!

SLIGHTY, adjective

1. Superficial; slight.

2. Trifling; inconsiderable.

SLILY, adverb [from sly.] With artful or dexterous secrecy. Satan slily robs us of our grand treasure.

SLIM, adjective [Ice.]

1. Slender; of small diameter or thickness in proportion to the highth; as a slim person; a slim tree.

2. Weak; slight; unsubstantial.

3. Worthless.

SLIME, noun [Latin limus.] Soft moist earth having an adhesive quality; viscous mud. The had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar. Genesis 11:3.

SLI'MINESS, noun The quality of slime; consisting of slime.

SLI'MY, adjective

1. Abounding with slime; consisting of slime.

2. Overspread with slime; as a slimy eel.

3. Viscous; glutinous; as a slimy soil.

SLI'NESS, noun [from sly.] Dexterous artifice to conceal any thing; artful secrecy.

SLING, noun

1. An instrument for throwing stones, consisting of a strap and two strings; the stone being lodged in the strap, is thrown by losing one of the strings With a sling and a stone David killed Goliath.

2. A throw; a stroke.

3. A kind of hanging bandage put round the neck, in which a wounded limb is sustained.

4. A rope by which a cask or bale is suspended and swung in or out of a ship

5. A drink composed of equal parts of rum or spirit and water sweetened.

SLING, verb transitive preterit tense and participle passive slung. [The primary sense seems to be to swing.]

1. To throw with a sling

2. To throw; to hurl.

3. To hang so as to swing; as, to sling a pack.

4. To move or swing by a rope which suspends the thing.

SLING'ER, noun One who slings or uses the sling.

SLING'ING, participle present tense Throwing with a sling; hanging so as to swing; moving by a sling.

SLINK, verb intransitive preterit tense and participle passive slunk.

1. To sneak; to creep away meanly; to steal away. He would pinch the children in the dark, and then slink into a corner.

2. To miscarry, as a beast.

SLINK, verb transitive To cast prematurely; to miscarry of; as the female of a beast.

SLINK, noun Produced prematurely, as the young of a beast.

SLIP, verb intransitive [Latin labor, to slide.]

1. To slide; to glide; to move along the surface of a thing without bounding, rolling or stepping.

2. To slide; not to tread firmly. Walk carefully, lest your foot should slip

3. TO move or fly out of place; usually without; as, a bone may slip out of its place.

4. To sneak; to slink; to depart or withdraw secretly; with away. Thus one tradesman slips away to give his partner fairer play.

5. To err; to fall into error or fault. One slippeth in his speech, but not from his heart.

6. To glide; to pass unexpectedly or imperceptibly. And thrice the flitting shadow slipp'd away.

7. To enter by oversight. An error may slip into a copy, notwithstanding all possible car.

8. To escape insensibly; to be lost. Use the most proper methods to retain the ideas you have acquired, for the mind is ready to let many of them slip

SLIP, verb transitive

1.To convey secretly. He tried to slip a powder into her drink.

2. To omit; to lose by negligence. Let us not slip the occasion. And slip no advantage that may secure you.

3. To part twigs from the branches or stem of a tree. The branches also may be slipped and planted.

4. To escape from; to leave slily. Lucentio slipp'd me like his greyhound. From is here understood.

5. To let loose; as, to slip the hounds.

6. To throw off; to disengage one's self from; as, a horse slip his bridle.

7. To pass over or omit negligently; as, to slip over that main points of a subject.

8. To tear off; as, to slip off a twig.

9. To suffer abortion; to miscarry; as a beast.

TO slip A CABLE, to veer out and let go the end.

TO slip ON, to put on in haste or loosely; as to slip on a gown or coat.

SLIP, noun

1. A sliding; act of slipping.

2. An unintentional error or fault.

3. A twig separated from the main stock; as the slip of a vine.

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

5. An escape; a secret or unexpected desertion.

6. A long narrow piece; as a slip of paper.

7. A counterfeit piece of money, being brass covered with silver. [Not in use.]

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

9. A particular quantity of yarn.

10. An opening between wharves or in a dock.

11. A place having a gradual descent on the bank of a river or harbor, convenient for ship-building.

12. A long seat or narrow pew in churches.

SLIP'-BOARD, noun A board sliding in grooves.

SLIP'-KNOT, noun A bow-knot; a knot which will not beat a strain, or which os easily untied.

SLIP'PER, noun

1. A kind of shoe consisting of a sole and vamp without quarters, which may be slipped on with ease and worn in undress; a slip-shoe.

2. A kind of apron for children, to be slipped over their other clothes to keep them clean.

3. A plant. [Latin crepis.]

4. A kind of iron slide or lock for the use of a heavy wagon.

SLIP'PER, adjective Slippery [Not in use.]

SLIP'PERED, adjective Wearing slippers.

SLIP'PERILY, adverb [from slippery.] In a slippery manner.

SLIP'PERINESS, noun

1. The state or quality of being slippery; lubricity; smoothness; glibness; as the slipperiness of ice or snow; the slipperiness of the tongue.

2. Uncertainty; want of firm footing.

3. Lubricity of character.

SLIP'PERY, adjective

1. Smooth; glib; having the quality opposite to adhesiveness; as, oily substances render things slippery

2. Not affording firm footing or confidence; as a slippery promise. The slipp'ry tops of human state.

3. Not easily held; liable or apt to slip away. The slipp'ry god will try to loose his hold.

4. Not standing firm, as slippery standers.

5. Unstable; changeable; mutable; uncertain; as the slippery state of kings.

6. Not certain in its effect; as a slippery trick.

7. Lubrious; wanton; unchaste.

SLIP'PY, adjective Slippery. [Not in use.]

SLIP'SHOD, adjective [slip and shod.] Wearing shoes like slippers, without pulling up the quarters.

SLIP'STRING, noun [slip and string.] One that has shaken off restraint; a prodigal; called also slopthrift, but I believe seldom or never used.

SLIT, verb transitive preterit tense slit; participle passive slot or slitted.

1. To cut lengthwise; to cut into long pieces or strips; as, to slit iron bard into nail rods.

2. To cut or make a long fissure; as, to slit the ear or tongue, or the nose.

3. To cut in general.

4. To rend; to split.

SLIT, noun

1. A long cut; or a narrow opening; as a slit in the ear.

2. A cleft or crack in the breast of cattle.

SLIT'TER, noun One that slits.

SLIT'TING, participle present tense Cutting lengthwise.

SLIVE, verb intransitive To sneak.

SLIV'ER, verb transitive To cut or divide into long thin pieces, or into very small pieces; to cut or rend lengthwise; as, to sliver wood.

SLIV'ER, noun A long piece cut or rent off, or a piece cut or rent lengthwise. In Scotland, it is said to signify a slice; as a sliver of beef.

SLOAT, noun [from the root of Latin claudo.] A narrow piece of timber which holds together larger pieces; as the sloats of a cart. [In New England, this is called a slat, as the slats of a chair, cart, _ c.]

SLOB'BER, and its derivatives, are a different orthography of slabber, the original pronunciation of which was probably slobber [See Slabber and Slaver.]

SLOCK, to quench, is a different orthography of slake, but not used.

SLOE, noun A small wild plum, the fruit of the black thorn. [Prunus spinosa.]

SLOOM, noun Slumber. [Not used.]

SLOOM'Y, adjective Sluggish; slow. [Not used.]

SLOOP, noun A vessel with one mast, the main-sail of which is attached to a gaff above, to a boom below, and to the mast on its foremost edge. It differs from a cutter by having a fixed steeving bowsprit, and a jib-stay. Sloops are of various sizes, from the size of a boat to that of more than 100 tons burthen.

SLOOP OF WAR, a vessel of war rigged either as a ship, brig, or schooner, and usually carrying from 10 to 18 guns.

SLOP, verb transitive [probably allied to lap.] To drink greedily and grossly. [Little used.]

SLOP, noun [probably allied to slabber.]

1. Water carelessly thrown about on a table or floor; a puddle; a soiled spot.

2. Mean liquor; mean liquid food.

SLOP, noun Trowsers; a loose lower garment; drawers; hence, ready made clothes.

SLOPE, adjective [This word contains the elements of Latin labor, lapsus, and Eng. slip; also of Latin levo. Eng. lift. I know not whether it originally signified ascending or descending, probably the latter.] Inclined or inclining form a horizontal direction; forming an angle with the plane of the horizon; as slope hills. [Little used.]

SLOPE, noun

1. An oblique direction; a line or direction inclining from a horizontal line; properly, a direction downwards.

2. An oblique direction in general; a direction forming an angle with a perpendicular or other right line.

3. A declivity; any ground whose surface forms an angle with the plane of the horizon; also, an acclivity, as every declivity must be also an acclivity.

SLOPE, verb transitive To form with a slope; to form to declivity or obliquity; to direct obliquely; to incline; as, to slope the ground in a garde; to slope a piece of cloth in cutting a garment.

SLOPE, verb intransitive To take an oblique direction; to be declivous or inclined.

SLO'PENESS, noun Declivity; obliquity. [Not much used.]

SLO'PEWISE, adverb Obliquely.

SLO'PING, participle present tense

1. Taking an inclined direction.

2. adjective Oblique; declivous; inclining or inclined from a horizontal of other right line.

SLO'PINGLY, adverb Obliquely; with a slope.

SLOP'PINESS, noun [from sloppy.] Wetness of the earth; muddiness.

SLOP'PY, adjective Wet, as the ground; muddy; plashy.

SLOP'SELLER, noun A shop where ready made clothes are sold.

SLOT, verb transitive To shut with violence; to slam, that is to drive. [Not in use.]

SLOT, noun A broad flat wooden bar.

SLOT, noun The track of a deer.

SLOTH, noun

1. Slowness; tardiness I abhor this dilatory sloth and tricks of Rome.

2. Disinclination to action or labor; sluggishness; laziness; idleness. They change their course to pleasure, ease and sloth sloth like rust, consumes faster than labor wears.

3. An animal, so called from the remarkable slowness of his motions. There are two species of this animal; the ai or three toed sloth and the unau or two toed sloth; both found in South America. It is said that its greatest speed seldom exceeds three yard an hour. it feeds on vegetables and ruminates.

SLOTH, verb intransitive To be idle. [Not in use.]

SLOTH'FUL, adjective Inactive; sluggish; lazy; indolent; idle. He that is slothful in his work, is brother to him that is a great waster. Proverbs 18:9.

SLOTH'FULLY, adverb Lazily; sluggish; idly.

SLOTH'FULNESS, noun The indulgence of sloth; inactivity; the habit of idleness; laziness. slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep. Proverbs 19:15.

SLOT'TERY, adjective

1. Squalid; dirty; sluttish untrimmed. [Not in use.]

2. Foul; wet. [Not in use.]

SLOUCH, noun [This word probably belongs to the root of lag, slug.]

1. A hanging down; a depression of the head or of some other part of the body, an ungainly clownish gait.

2. An awkward, heavy, clownish fellow.

SLOUCH, verb intransitive To hang down; to have a down cast clownish look, gait or manner.

SLOUCH, verb transitive To depress; to cause to hang down; as, to slouch the hat.

SLOUCH'ING, participle present tense

1. Causing to hang down.

2. adjective Hanging down; walking heavily and awkwardly.

SLOUGH, noun slou.

1. A place of deep mud or mire; a hole full of mire.

2. [pron. sluff.] The skin or cast skin of a serpent. [Its use for the skin in general, in Shakespeare, is not authorized.]

3. [pron. sluff.] The part that separates from a foul sore. The dead part which separates from the living in mortification.

SLOUGH, verb intransitive sluff. To separate from the sound flesh; to come off; as the matter over a sore; a term in surgery.

TO slough OFF, to separate from the living parts, as the dead part in mortification.

SLOUGHLY, adjective slou'y. Full of sloughs; miry.

SLOVEN, noun A man careless of his dress, or negligent of cleanliness; a man habitually negligent of neatness and order.

SLOVENLINESS, noun [from sloven.]

1. Negligence of dress; habitual want of cleanliness.

2. Neglect of order and neatness.

SLOVENLY, adjective

1. Negligent of dress or neatness; as a slowenly man.

2. Loose; disorderly; not neat; as a slovenly dress.

SLOVENLY, adverb In a careless, inelegant manner.

SLOVENRY, noun Negligence of order or neatness; dirtiness. [Not in use.]

SLOW, adjective

1. Moving a small distance in a long time; not swift; not quick in motion; not rapid; as a slow stream; a slow motion.

2. Late; not happening in short time. These changes in the heavens though slow produc'd like change on sea and land, sidereal blast.

3. Not ready; not prompt or quick; as slow of speech, and slow of tongue. Exodus 4:10.

4. Dull; in active; tardy. The Trojans are not slow to guard their shore from an expected foe.

5. Not hasty; not precipitate; acting with deliberation. The Lord is merciful, slow to anger. He that is slow the wrath is of great understanding. Proverbs 14:29.

6. Dull; heavy in wit.

7. Behind in time; indicating a time later than the true time; as, the clock or watch is slow

8.Not advancing, growing or improving rapidly; as the slow growth of arts and sciences.

SLOW, is used in composition to modify other words; as a slow-paced horse.

SLOW, as a verb, to delay, is not in use.

SLOW, noun A moth. [Not in use.]

SLOW'BACK, noun A lubber; an idle fellow; a loiterer.

SLOWLY, adverb

1. With moderate motion; not rapidly; not with velocity or celerity; as, to walk slowly

2. Not soon; not early; not in a little time; not with hasty advance; as a country that rises slowly into importance.

3. Not hastily; not rashly; not with precipitation; as, he determines slowly

4. Not promptly; not readily; as, he learns slowly

5. Tardily; with slow progress. The building proceeds slowly

SLOWNESS, noun

1. Moderate motion; want of speed or velocity. Swifness and slowness are relative ideas.

2. Tardy advance; moderate progression; as the slowness of an operation; slowness of growth or improvement.

3. Dullness to admit conviction or affection; as slowness of heart.

4. Want of readiness or promptness; dullness of intellect.

5. Deliberation; coolness; caution in deciding.

6. Dilatoriness; tardiness.

SLUB'BER, verb transitive To do lazily, imperfectly or coarsely; to daub; to stain; to cover carelessly. [Little used and vulgar.]

SLUB'BERINGLY, adverb In a sloenly manner, [Not used and vulgar.]

SLUDGE, noun Mud; mire; soft mud.

SLUDS, noun Among miners, half roasted ore.

SLUE, verb transitive In seamen's language, to turn any thing conical or cylindrical, _ c. about its axis without removing it; to turn.

SLUG, noun [allied to slack, sluggard.]

1. A drone; a slow, heavy, lazy fellow.

2. A hinderance; obstruction.

3. A kind of snail, very destructive to plants, of the genus Limax. It is without a shell.

4. A cylindrical or oval piece of metal, used for the charge of a gun.

SLUG, verb intransitive To move slowly; to lie idle.

SLUG, verb transitive To make sluggish.

SLUG'ABED, noun One who indulges in lying abed. [Not in use.]

SLUG'GARD, noun [from slug and ard, slow kind.] A person habitually lazy, idle and inactive; a drone.

SLUG'GARD, adjective Sluggish; lazy.

SLUG'GARDIZE, verb transitive To make lazy. [Little used.]

SLUG'GISH, adjective

1. Habitually idle and lazy; slothful; dull; inactive; as a sluggish man.

2.Slow; having little motion; as a sluggish river or stream.

3. Inert; inactive; having no power to move itself. Matter is sluggish and inactive.

SLUG'GISHLY, adverb Lazily; slothfully; drowsily; idly; slowly.

SLUG'GISHNESS, noun

1. Natural or habitual indolence or laziness; sloth; dullness; applied to persons.

2.Inertness; want of power to move; applied to inanimate matter.

3. Slowness; as the sluggishness of a steam.

SLUG'GY, adjective Sluggish [Not in use.]

SLUICE, SLUSE, noun [Latin claudo, clausi, clausus; Low Latin exclusa. The most correct orthography is sluse.]

1. The stream of water issuing through a flood-gate; or the gate itself. If the word had its origin in shutting; it denoted the frame of boards or planks which closes the opening of a mill dam; but I believe it is applied to the stream, the gate and channel. It is a common saying, that a rapid stream runs like a sluse.

2. An opening; a source of supply; that through which any thing flows. Each sluice of affluent fortune open'd soon.

SLUICE, SLUSE, verb transitive To emit by flood-gates. [Little used]

SLUICY, SLU'SY, adjective Falling in streams as from a sluice. And oft whole sheets descent of sluicy rain.

SLUM'BER, verb intransitive

1. To sleep lightly; to doze. He that keepth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. Psalms 121:4.

2. To sleep. slumber is used as synonymous with sleep, particularly in the poetic and eloquent style.

3. To be in a state of negligence, sloth, supineness or inactivity. Why slumbers Pope?

SLUM'BER, verb transitive

1. To lay to sleep.

2. To stun; to stupefy. [Little used and hardly legitimate.]

SLUM'BER, noun

1. Light sleep; sleep not deep or sound. From carelessness it shall settle into slumber and from slumber it shall settle into a deep and long sleep.

2. Sleep; repose.

Rest to my soul, and slumber to my eyes.

SLUM'BERER, noun One that slumbers.

SLUM'BERING, participle present tense Dozing; sleeping.

SLUM'BEROUS, SLUM'BERY, adjective

1. Inviting or causing sleep; soporiferous. While pensive in the slumberous shade

2. Sleep; not waking.

SLUMP, verb intransitive To fall or sink suddenly into water or mud, when walking on a hard surface, as on ice or frozed ground, not strong enough to bear the person. [This legitimate word is in common and respectable use in New England, and its signification is so approriate that no onther word wil supply its place.]

SLUNG, preterit tense and participle passive of sling.

SLUNK, preterit tense and participle passive of slink.

SLUR, verb transitive

1. To soil; to sully; to contaminate; to disgrace.

2. To pass lightly; to conceal. With periods, points and tropes he slurs his crimes.

3. To cheat; to trick. [Unusual.]

4. In music, to sing or perform in a smooth gliding style.

SLUR, noun

1. Properly, a black mark; hence, slight reproach or disgrace. Every violation of moral duty should be a slur to the reputation.

2. In music, a mark connecting noest that are to be sung to the same syllable, or made in one continued breath of a wind instrument, or with one stoke of a stringed instrument.

SLUSE, a more correct orthography of sluice.

SLUSH, noun Soft mud, or a soft mixture of filthy substances. [This may be the Eng. slutch.]

SLUICY, SLU'SY, adjective Falling in streams as from a sluice. And oft whole sheets descent of sluicy rain.

SLUT, noun

1. A woman who is negligent of cleanliness, and who suffers her person, clothes, funiture, etc., to be dirty or in disorder.

2. A name of slight contempt for a woman.

SLUT'TERY, noun The qualities of a slut; more generally, the practice of a slut; neglect of cleanliness and order; dirtiness of clothes, rooms, furniture or provisions.

SLUT'TISH, adjective

1. Not neat or cleanly; dirty; careless of dress and neatness; disorderly; as a sluttish woman.

2. Disorderly; dirty; as a sluttish dress.

3. Meretricious. [Little used.]

SLUT'TISHLY, adverb In a sluttish manner; negligently; dirtily.

SLUT'TISHNESS, noun The qualities or practice of a slut; negligence of dress; dirtiness of dress, furniture and in domestic affairs generally.

SLY, adjective

1. Artfully dextrous in performing things secretly, and escaping observation or detection; usually implying some degree of meanness; artfully cunning; applied to persons; as a sly man or boy.

2. Done with artful and dextrous secrecy; as a sly trick.

3. Marked with artful secrecy; as sly circumspection.

4. Secret; concealed. Envy works in a sly imperceptible manner.

SLY'-BOOTS, noun A sly cunning or waggish person.

SLYLY, SLYNESS. [See Slily, Sliness.]

SLYLY, SLYNESS [See Slily, Sliness.]