Etymology dictionary

slim (v.) — slur (v.)

slim (v.)

1808 [Jamieson], "to scamp one's work, do carelessly or superficially," from slim (adj.). The meaning "to make slim" (a garment, etc.) is from 1862; that of "reduce (one's) weight" is from 1930. Related: Slimmed; slimming. Adjectival phrase slimmed-down is attested by 1946 in advertisements, from the verbal phrase.

slime (v.)

1620s, "to cover with or as with slime," from slime (n.). Intransitive sense of "become slimy" is by 1842. Related: Slimed; sliming.

slime (n.)

"Any soft, ropy, glutinous, or viscous substance" [Century Dictionary], Old English slim "soft mud," from Proto-Germanic *slimaz (source also of Old Norse slim, Old Frisian slym, Dutch slijm "slime, phlegm," German Schleim "slime"), which is probably related to Old English lim "birdlime; sticky substance."

This is from a PIE root *(s)lei- "slimy, sticky, slippery" (source also of Sanskrit linati "sticks, stays, adheres to; slips into, disappears;" Russian slimak "snail;" Old Church Slavonic slina "spittle;" Old Irish sligim "to smear," leinam "I follow," literally "I stick to;" Welsh llyfn "smooth;" Greek leimax "snail," limne "marsh, pool, lake," alinein "to anoint, besmear;" Latin limus "slime, mud, mire," linere "to daub, besmear, rub out, erase").

As an insult to a person from mid-15c. Figuratively, of anything clinging and offensive, 1570s. Slime-mold, common name for a type of fungi, is from 1880.

slimy (adj.)

late 14c., slimie, "covered with slime; of the nature of slime," of places, "muddy, marshy, full of silt," from slime (n.) + -y (2). Similar formation in Middle Dutch slimich, Dutch slijmig, German schleimig. The figurative sense of "morally repulsive" is attested from 1570s. Related: Slimily; sliminess.

slimline (adj.)

also slim-line, "gracefully, stylishly thin," 1949, of fashions, household appliances, etc., from slim (adj.) + line (n.).

slimmish (adj.)

"somewhat thin, not very stout," by 1830, from slim (adj.) + -ish.

slimnastics (n.)

1967 (with an isolated use from 1959), from slim (adj.) + ending abstracted from gymnastics.

sling (n.2)

sweetened, flavored liquor drink, 1792, American English, a word of unknown origin; perhaps from the notion of "throw back" a drink (see sling (v.1)), or from German schlingen "to swallow." In 19c. also a verb, "to drink slings."

sling (n.3)

"act of throwing, a sweep or swing," 1660s, perhaps 1520s, from sling (v.).

sling (v.2)

1520s, "place in a sling in order to hoist, move or swing by a rope from which the object is suspended," from sling (n.1). From 1690s in transitive sense of "hang or suspend loosely from one point to another" (as a hammock). Related: Slung; slinging.

sling (n.1)

c. 1300, "hand-held implement for throwing stones" (consisting of a strap and two strings), from an unidentified continental Germanic source (such as Middle Low German slinge "a sling") from verbs meaning "swing to and fro, wind, twist" (see sling (v.1)).

The notion probably is of being twisted and twirled before it is released. The piece of stone or metal hurled from it is a sling-stone (late 14c.). The older English word for this ancient weapon was lithere (Old English liþere, related to leather).

Some of the sense developments might have been influenced by Low German cognates. The sense of "loop for lifting or carrying heavy objects" is recorded by early 14c. As "leather shoulder strap for a rifle, etc.," by 1711. The meaning "piece of cloth tied in a hanging loop around the neck to support an injured arm" is attested by 1720. A Middle English medical word for "sling or supporting loop used in treating dislocations" was stremb (early 15c., Chauliac, who also has suspensorie), from Medieval Latin stremba.

sling (v.1)

c. 1200, slingen (past tense slong, past participle slungen, slongen), "to knock down" using a sling, later "to throw, hurl, fling" (mid-13c.), especially with a sling, probably from Old Norse slyngva, from Proto-Germanic *slingwanan (source also of Old High German slingan, German schlingen "to swing to and fro, wind, twist;" rare Old English slingan "to creep, twist;" Old Frisian slinge, Middle Dutch slinge, Old High German slinga, German Schlinge "sling;" Middle Swedish slonga "noose, knot, snare"). This is reconstructed to be from PIE *slengwh "to slide, make slide; sling, throw." Related: Slung; slinging.

slinger (n.)

"soldier armed with a sling," late 14c., agent noun from sling (v.).

slingshot (n.)

also sling-shot, "hand-catapult," 1849, from sling (v.) + shot (n.). As a verb, from 1969. A slung-shot (1848) was a rock wrapped in a sling, used as a weapon by roughs and criminals.

slink (v.)

Middle English slinken, from Old English slincan "to creep, crawl" (of reptiles), from Proto-Germanic *slinkan (source also of Old High German slihhan, German schleichen "slink, crawl, sneak, move slowly," Swedish slinka "to glide," Dutch slinken "to shrink, shrivel"), related to the source of sling (v.)).

Of persons or other animals, "steal or move quietly" (frequently with off or away), attested from late 14c. Related: Slinked; slinker; slinking. As a noun, "a slinking fellow," by 1824.

slinky (adj.)

"sinuous and slender," of women or clothes, 1921, from slink + -y (2). Related: Slinkily; slinkiness.

Earlier usages of it meant "lank; lean; flaccid" (Century Dictionary 1895). Slinking (adj.) "moving in a slinking manner" is by 1840, and slink is attested from 1670s as an adjective, "thin, slender, lean; starved and hungry," of cattle, etc.

As a proprietary name (with capital from S-) for a coil of spring marketed as a toy, 1948, by James Industries Inc., Philadelphia, U.S.A.

slip (n.1)

"long, narrow, and more or less rectangular piece," mid-15c., originally "edge of a garment;" by 1550s generally as "narrow strip;" probably from Middle Low German or Middle Dutch slippe "cut, slit," which might be related to Old English toslifan "to split, cleave." The sense of "narrow piece of paper" (as in pink slip) by 1680s. From the same source as slip (n.4).

slip (n.4)

"sprig or twig detached from a main stock for planting or grafting, small shoot," late 15c., a word of uncertain origin. Middle Dutch slippe, German schlippe, schlipfe "cut, slit, strip of wood" have been compared, but the chronology of the sense evolution seems not to match. Compare slip (n.1). Hence "young person of small build" (1580s, as in slip of a girl).

slip (n.2)

in numerous and various senses from slip (v.), late 13c. as a surname. The meaning "sloping landing place for ships between wharves or a dock" is by mid-15c. The meaning "act of slipping" (as walking on ice) is from 1590s. The meaning "mistake, fault, blunder," especially if minor or unintended is from 1570s.

The sense of "woman's sleeveless garment" (1761) is from notion of something easily "slipped" on or off (compare sleeve). Originally an outer garment; in 20c. of a sleeveless undergarment or petticoat.

To give (someone) the slip "escape from" is from 1560s. Slip of the tongue is 1725 (from Latin lapsus linguae); slip of the pen (Latin lapsus calami) is 1650s.

slip (v.)

early 14c., slippen, "to escape, to move softly and quickly," from an unrecorded Old English word or cognate Middle Low German slippen "to glide, slide," from Proto-Germanic *slipan (source also of Old High German slifan, Middle Dutch slippen, German schleifen "to glide, slide"). This is probably from PIE *sleib-"slip, slide," from root *(s)lei- "slimy, sticky, slippery" (see slime (n.)). The verb is not found in Old English, which did have related adjective slipor "slippery, having a smooth surface." Related: Slipped; slipping.

It is attested from mid-14c. in the sense of "lose one's footing, slide suddenly and unawares," also "slide out of place," also "fall into error or fault." The meaning "pass unguarded or untaken" is from mid-15c. That of "slide, glide, pass smoothly and easily" is from 1520s.

The transitive sense of "cause to move with a sliding motion" is from 1510s; the meaning "insert surreptitiously, put or place secretly" is from 1680s. The meaning "let loose, release from restraint" (1580s), is probably from the noun sense of "leash for a (hunting) dog that can be easily released" (1570s).

To slip on "put on (clothing, etc.) loosely or in haste" is from 1580s; to slip off "take off noiselessly or hastily" is from 1590s. To slip up "make a mistake, err inadvertently" is from 1855; to slip through the net "evade detection" is by 1829 (for slip through the cracks see crack (n.)). To let (something) slip originally (1520s) was a reference to hounds on a leash; figurative use for "allow to escape through carelessness" is by 1540s.

slip (n.3)

mid-15c., "mud, slime; curdled milk," from Old English slypa, slyppe "slime, paste, pulp, soft semi-liquid mass," which is related to slupan "to slip" (from PIE root *sleubh- "to slide, slip," source of slop). The meaning "potters' clay reduced to a semi-fluid condition" is by 1630s and through it the old word is preserved in technical terms.

slipknot (n.)

also slip-knot, 1650s, from slip (v.) + knot (n.). One which easily can be "slipped" or undone by pulling on the loose end of the last loop.

slippage (n.)

1850, "act of slipping," from slip (v.) + -age. In mechanics, "amount of slippage" (by 1905).

slipper (n.)

type of loose, light indoor footwear, late 14c., agent noun from slip (v.), the notion being of a shoe that is easily "slipped" onto the foot. Compare slip (n.2). Old English had slypescoh "slipper," literally "slip-shoe." By 1580s as characteristic of something you beat a child with as a disciplinary punishment. Related: Slippered. Also in creature-names, such as slipper-limpet (1828), slipper-shell (1825).

slippery (adj.)

"having a surface so smooth as to cause sliding," c. 1500, slipperie, with -y (2) + Middle English sliper (adj.) "not affording firm footing or hold," from Old English slipor "slippery, having a smooth surface" (see slip (v.)).

The metaphoric sense of "deceitful, untrustworthy, that cannot be depended upon or trusted" is from 1550s. Alternative slippy is attested from 1540s. Related: Slipperily; slipperiness. Middle English also had slipperness, slipornysse, (early 15c., in medical writing, "looseness of the bowels"), directly from sliper. Scott (1821) has slippiness.

In a figurative sense, slippery slope "course beginning with a small step but leading to disaster or destruction" is attested by 1844. Slippery slope as a figure of peril, or a difficult path up, is by 1825.

The slippery elm (1748) of eastern North America (also moose or red elm) is so called for its mucilaginous inner bark, used officinally as a demulcent.

slipshod (adj.)

1570s, "wearing slippers or loose shoes so that the sole trails after the foot;" see slip (v.) + shod "wearing shoes." The sense of "slovenly, careless" is by 1815, probably from the notion of appearing like one in slippers, or whose shoes are down at the heels. Slipalong (adj.) in the "wearing loose shoes" sense is by 1849.

slipstream (n.)

also slip-stream, "current backward or downward caused by a rotating blade," 1913 (as two words), from slip (n.2) + stream (n.). Used figuratively for any force drawing something in its wake.

slit (v.)

c. 1200, slitten, "to split with a knife or sharp weapon, cleave open," from or related to Old English slitan "to slit, tear, split, rend to pieces; bite, sting; back-bite," from Proto-Germanic *slitanan "tear apart" (source also of Old Saxon slitan, Old Frisian slita, Old Norse slita, Middle Low German and Middle Dutch sliten, Dutch slijten, Old High German slizan, German schleißen "to slit"). Slice is the same word via French.

A more violent verb in Old English than after, as in slitcwealm "death by rending." From late 14c. as "make an incision."

Slit skirt, one tight and with a slit or slits up from the hem, is by 1913 (as an adjective, slit, in reference to garments decorated with slashes, is from late 14c.). A slitting-mill (1660s) cut iron plates into thin rods for making nails, etc.

slit (n.)

mid-13c., "long, straight, narrow cut or rent (in clothes); narrow opening, incision," from slit (v.). Slang sense of "vulva" is attested from 1640s. Old English had slit (n.) with a sense of "a rending, bite; backbiting."

slither (n.)

"a gliding or sliding movement," 1861, from slither (v.).

slither (v.)

early 15c., variant of Middle English slidder "to slip, slide," from Old English slidrian "to slip, slide on a loose slope," a frequentative form of slidan "to slide" (see slide (v.)). For spelling change, compare gather. The specific meaning "walk in a sliding manner" is attested from 1848 in reference to humans. In reference to reptile motion, from 1839. Related: Slithered; slithering.

sliver (n.)

"splinter of wood, piece of wood roughly broken off," late 14c., "a part, a portion," from obsolete verb sliven "to split, cleave," from Old English toslifan "to split, cleave," from Proto-Germanic *slifanan, which is perhaps related to the root of slip (v.). As a verb, "cut into slivers," from c. 1600. Related: Slivered; slivering.

slivovitz (n.)

"plum brandy of Central and Eastern Europe," 1885, probably via German, ultimately from the Slavic words, from Old Church Slavonic sliva "plum," which is possibly from the same source as sloe (q.v.).

Sloane Square

neighborhood near Chelsea in London, named for Sir Hans Sloane (1660-1753), who purchased the manor of Chelsea in 1712 and whose celebrated collections contributed to the British Museum. Previous to development the place was known as Great Bloody Field ["Oxford Dictionary of London Place Names"]. The tree genus Sloanea was named for him. Sloane Ranger is attested from 1975, with a play on Lone Ranger.

slob (n.)

1780, "mud, muddy land," from Irish slab "mud, mire dirt," itself probably borrowed from English slab "muddy place" (c. 1600), from a Scandinavian source (compare Icelandic slabb "sludge"). The meaning "untidy person," often with implications of "dull, slow, loutish, easily imposed upon," emerged by 1887, probably shortened from earlier expressions such as slob of a man (1861).

slobber (v.)

late 14c., sloberen, "dribble from the mouth," probably of imitative origin; compare Frisian slobberje "to slurp," Middle Low German slubberen "slurp," Middle Dutch overslubberen "wade through a ditch." Related: Slobbered; slobbering. As noun from c. 1400 as "mud, slime," 1755 as "saliva." Congreve has slabber (v.), from Middle Dutch slabberen.

slobbery (adj.)

late 14c., sloberie, "characterized by slobbering," from slobber + -y (2). From early 15c. also "slimy, greasy, sloppy."

sloe (n.)

"fruit of the blackthorn," a small, bluish-black drupe, Middle English slo, from Old English slah (plural slan), from Proto-Germanic *slaikhwon (source also of Middle Dutch sleeu, Dutch slee, Old High German sleha, German Schlehe), from PIE *sleiə- "blue, bluish, blue-black" (see livid). The Balto-Slavic words (Russian sliva, etc.) are perhaps from the same source.

The vowel has been influenced by that in the old plural form, which according to OED persisted into the 17c. Scottish slae preserves the older vowel. Sloe-eyed is attested from 1804; sloe gin is recorded by 1878.

slog (v.)

1824, "hit hard," originally in pugilism slang, probably a variant of slug (v.3) "to strike." The meaning "work hard" is by 1846. The sense of "walk doggedly" is by 1872. Related: Slogged; slogger; slogging.

slog (n.)

1846, "a hard hit," from slog (v.). Sense of "spell of hard work" is from 1888.

sloganeer (v.)

1941, "express oneself in political slogans;" see slogan + -eer. Perhaps it is based on or from an earlier noun sloganeer "one who makes or uses slogans" (1922). An earlier verb was sloganize (1909). Related: Sloganeering.

slogan (n.)

1670s, earlier slogorne (1510s, Gavin Douglas), "battle cry," from Gaelic sluagh-ghairm "battle cry used by Scottish Highland or Irish clans," from sluagh "army, host, slew," from Celtic and Balto-Slavic *slough- "help, service." Second element is gairm "a cry" (see garrulous). The metaphoric sense of "distinctive word or phrase used by a political or other group" is attested from 1704 (as slughon). The spellings also included a fully folk-etymologized slughorn.

sloop (n.)

1620s, "small fore-and-aft rigged vessel with one mast, generally carrying a jib, fore-stay sail, mainsail, and gaff-topsail" [Century Dictionary], from Dutch sloep "a sloop;" probably from French chaloupe, from Old French chalupe "small, sloop-rigged vessel," which is perhaps related to English shallop [OED]. But according to Barnhart and Watkins the Dutch word might simply be from Middle Dutch slupen "to glide," from PIE root *sleubh-. In old military use, a small ship of war carrying guns on the upper deck only (1670s). Related: Sloop-rigged.

slop (n.2)

late 14c., "loose outer garment" (early 14c. in a surname, sclopmongere), of obscure etymology, perhaps from Old English oferslop "surplice," which seems to be related to Middle Dutch slop, Old Norse sloppr (either of which also might be the source of the Middle English word), perhaps all from Proto-Germanic *slup-, from PIE root *sleubh- "to slide, slip" on the notion of a garment one "slips" on or into (compare sleeve).

The sense was extended generally to "clothing, ready-made clothing" (1660s), usually in plural slops, also a nickname for a tailor. Hence, also, slop-shop "shop where ready-made clothes are sold" (1723).

slop (n.1)

c. 1400, "mudhole, puddle," probably from Old English -sloppe "dung" (in plant name cusloppe, literally "cow dung"), related to slyppe "slime" (from PIE root *sleubh- "to slide, slip").

The meaning "semi-liquid food" is by 1650s; that of "refuse liquid of any kind, household liquid waste" (usually slops) is from 1815. The meaning "affected or sentimental material" is by 1866.

slop (v.)

"to spill carelessly" (transitive), 1550s, from slop (n.1). The intransitive sense of "be spilled or overflow" is from 1746. Related: Slopped; slopping.

slope (n.)

1610s, "inclination, slant, oblique direction," from slope (v.). The meaning "an incline, a slant (of ground)" is from 1620s, the sense in ski-slope. The derogatory slang meaning "Oriental person" is attested from 1948, American English, from the shape of the eyes.

slope (v.)

1590s, "go in an oblique direction," from earlier adjective meaning "slanting" (c. 1500), probably from Middle English aslope (adv.) "on the incline" (late 15c.), from Old English *aslopen, past participle of aslupan "to slip away," from a- "away" + slupan "to slip" (see sleeve). IT is attested from 1709 as "be in a slanting position;" the transitive sense of "place in a slanting position" is from c. 1600. Related: Sloped; sloping.

sloppy (adj.)

1727, "muddy, wet from slopping," from slop (n.1) + -y (2). By 1794 as "of a semi-liquid consistency." The meaning "loose, ill-fitting, slovenly" is recorded from 1825, influenced by slop (n.2). Related: Sloppily; sloppiness. Sloppy Joe was originally "loose-fitting sweater worn by girls" (1942); as a name for a kind of spiced hamburger, it is attested from 1961.

slosh (n.)

1814, "slush, sludge, a watery mess," probably a blend of slush and slop (n.1) in its Middle English sense of "muddy place." Later extended to weak, soggy food or writing.

slosh (v.)

"flounder or splash about in mud or wet," 1844, from slosh (n.). The meaning "pour carelessly" is recorded from 1875. Related: Sloshed; sloshing.

sloshed (adj.)

"drunk," c. 1900, colloquial, past-participle adjective from slosh (v.).

slot (v.2)

1560s, "to bolt a door," from slot (n.2). Related: Slotted; slotting.

slot (v.1)

1747, "provide with a slot, cut slots in," from slot (n.1). The meaning "drop a coin in a slot" is from 1888. The figurative sense of "take a position in a particular slot" is from 1940; that of "designate, appoint, fit (something) into a slot" is from 1966. The earliest sense in English is obsolete: "stab in the base of the throat" (c. 1400). Related: Slotted; slotting.

slot (n.1)

late 14c., "hollow at the base of the throat above the breastbone," from Old French esclot "hoofprint of a deer or horse," a word of uncertain origin, perhaps from Old Norse sloð "trail" (see sleuth). The anatomical sense is found in romances and in reference to wounds or blows; it is now rare or obsolete. The sense development is obscure, perhaps "from the resemblance of the jugular notch of the sternum to a hoof print" [Middle English Compendium]

The meaning "narrow opening into which something else can be fitted" is by 1520s. The sense of "opening in a machine for a coin to be inserted" is from 1888 (slot machine, one operated by inserting a coin in a slot, is attested by 1891).

The sense of "position in a list, place in a timetable" is attested from 1942. The meaning "middle of the (semi-circular) copy desk at a newspaper," the spot occupied by the chief sub-editor, is recorded from 1917. Slot car is attested by 1966, in reference to the slot in which the miniature car runs.

slot (n.2)

"bar or bolt used to fasten a shut door, closed window, etc.," early 14c., from Middle Dutch or Middle Low German slot , fr5om Proto-Germanic *slutila- (source also of Old Norse slot, Old High German sluzzil, sloz, German Schloss "bolt, bar, lock, castle;" Old Frisian sletel, Old Saxon slutil "key," Dutch slot "a bolt, lock, castle").

This is from Proto-Germanic *slut- "to close" (source also of Old Frisian sluta, Dutch sluiten, Old High German sliozan, German schliessen "to shut, close, bolt, lock"), thought to be from PIE root *klau- "hook," also "peg, nail, pin," all those things having been used as locks or bolts in primitive structures.

slothful (adj.)

early 15c., slouthful, "indolent, sluggish; characterized by sloth," from sloth "slowness"+ -ful. Related: Slothfully; slothfulness. For the latter, Middle English had also sloth-head (c. 1300), with Middle English -hede, cognate with -hood.

sloth (n.)

late 12c., slouthe, "indolence, sluggishness, neglect of responsibilities," formed from Middle English slou, slowe (see slow (adj.)) + abstract formative -th (2).

It displaced earlier sleuthe, from Old English slæwþ, Kentish slewð, "sloth, indolence." The modern form might also be the old word conformed to the vowel in the adjective. The modern sense of "slowness, tardiness" is attested from mid-14c. As one of the deadly sins, it translates Latin accidia. A sloth-salve (c. 1400) was a (figurative) remedy for indolence.

The slow-moving South American mammal was first so called 1610s, a translation of Portuguese preguiça "slowness, slothfulness," from Latin pigritia "laziness" (compare Spanish perezosa "slothful," also "the sloth").

slouch (v.)

1754, "walk, sit, or pose with a loose gait or attitude;" 1755 as "have a downcast or stooped aspect;" from slouch (n.). Related: Slouched.

Slouching is attested from 1610s as a past-participle adjective; 1660s of persons, 1690s of hats with flexible brims. Hence the transitive verb slouch "pull down (one's hat) to partially conceal the face" (1760s), and slouch hat, one made of soft material with a relatively wide brim (1764).

slouch (n.)

1510s, "lazy man; ungainly fellow," a variant of slouk (1560s), which is of obscure origin, but probably ultimately from a Scandinavian source (perhaps Old Norse slokr "lazy fellow"), and related to slack (adj.) on the notion of "sagging, drooping." Also compare Middle English slought, slougth, variants of slouthe "indolence, slothfulness, sloth."

The meaning "a drooping or stooping of the head and shoulders" is by 1725. In praise, with a negative (as in she's no slouch) by 1796, American English.

slouchy (adj.)

"inclined to slouch," in any sense, "somewhat slouching," 1690s, from slouch + -y (2). Related: Slouchily; slouchiness.

slough (n.1)

"muddy place in a road or way, mudhole, swamp, deep quagmire," Middle English slough, from Old English sloh "soft, muddy ground," a word of uncertain origin. Compare Middle Low German sloch "muddy place," Middle High German sluoche "ditch." Figurative use (in reference to moral sunkenness) is attested from mid-13c.; Bunyan's "Slough of Despond" is 1678.

slough (n.2)

"cast-off skin" (of a snake or other animal that normally sheds or molts), early 14c., slughe, slouh, which is probably related to Old Saxon sluk "skin of a snake," Middle High German sluch "snakeskin, wine-skin," Middle Low German slu "husk, peel, skin," German Schlauch "wine-skin;" from Proto-Germanic *sluk-, which is of uncertain origin, perhaps from PIE root *sleug- "to glide." By 1510s as "mass or layer of dead tissue around a wound, etc."

slough (v.)

1720, intransitive, "come off as slough;" 1762, transitive, "to cast off" (as the skin of a snake or other animal), from the Middle English noun slough "shed skin of a snake" (see slough (n.)). Originally of diseased tissue. Related: Sloughed; sloughing.

Slovak

1829 (n.), "member of a Slavic race living mostly in the Carpathians, north of Hungary and east of Moravia; 1887 as an adjective, from French Slovak, from the people's own self-designation(compare Slovak and Czech Slovak, plural Slovaci; Polish Słowak; Russian Slovak; German Slowake). Related: Slovakian; Slovakish.

sloven (n.)

late 15c., slovein, "person of low character; rascal, knave" (regardless of gender); probably from a continental Germanic source, compare Middle Flemish sloovin "a scold," sloef "untidy, shabby," Dutch slof "careless, negligent," Middle Low German sloven "put on clothes carelessly," from Proto-Germanic *slaubjan, from PIE root *sleubh- "to slide, slip."

The meaning "person careless of dress or negligent of cleanliness" in English is by 1520s. The older "knave" sense is obsolete. The earliest appearance of the English word is in the Coventry mystery plays (paired alliteratively with slut) amid a volley of insults hurled by scribes and Pharisees against the woman taken in adultery, so its earliest sense sometimes is given as "immoral woman."

Century Dictionary also compares Low German sluf "slovenly," sluffen, sluffern "be careless," sluffen "go about in slippers;" German schlumpe "a slut, slattern," schlumpen "draggle."

Slovene (n.)

Slavic people of Carinthia and Styria, 1883, from German Slowene, from Slovenec, the people's own name; see Slav. A survival from the old native designation of the Slavic people, compare Old Church Slavonic Slovene, Medieval Greek Sklabenos, Sklavenos. Related: Slovenian (1844).

slovenly (adj.)

1510s, "low, base, lewd" (senses now obsolete), later "habitually untidy, negligent of dress or neatness" (1560s), from sloven + -ly (1). Related: Slovenliness "state or character of being slovenly;" also in this noun sense was slovenry (1540s), which OED reports in common use early 17c.

slow (adj.)

Middle English slou, from Old English slaw "inactive by nature, sluggish, torpid, lazy, tardy in taking action," also "not clever, dull, not quick in comprehension," from Proto-Germanic *slæwaz (source also of Old Saxon sleu "blunt, dull," Middle Dutch slee, Dutch sleeuw "sour, tart, blunt," Old High German sleo "blunt, dull," Old Norse sljor, Danish sløv, Swedish slö "blunt, dull").

The meaning "taking a long time to develop, not happening in a short time" is attested from c. 1200; that of "not quick to move physically, taking a long time to move or go a short distance" is by mid-14c. The meaning "dull, tedious" is from 1841. Of clocks, from 1690s.

As an adverb c. 1500. As a noun from c.122, "the slothful, sluggards." The slows "imaginary disease to account for lethargy" is from 1843. Slow-paced "moving or advancing slowly" is from 1590s. Slow-motion (adj.) in cinematography is by 1929.

slowness (n.)

c. 1300, slounesse, "slothfulness, sluggishness," especially as a sin," from slow (adj.) + -ness. By late 14c. as "slowness in performance; slowness of motion."

slow (v.)

1550s, "delay, make slower;" 1590s, "go slower, become slow, slacken in speed," from slow (adj.). Related: Slowed; slowing. Old English had slawian (intransitive) "to be or become slow, be sluggish," but the modern use appears to be a 16c. re-formation.

slowdown (n.)

also slow-down, 1892, "act of going more slowly," from the verbal phrase; see slow (v.) + down (adv.). To slow up "slow down speed" is attested by 1881.

slowly (adv.)

Middle English slouli, from Old English slawlice "sluggishly, slothfully, negligently;" see slow (adj.) + -ly (2). By late 14c. as "with slow motion or progress, not quickly or hastily."

slowpoke (n.)

also slow poke, 1848, American English from slow (adj.) + poke (n.3), the name of a device, like a yoke with a pole, attached to domestic animals such as pigs and sheep to keep them from escaping enclosures. Bartlett (1859) calls it "a woman's word."

slow-worm (n.)

type of small, harmless scincoid lizard, Middle English slo-worm, from Old English slo-wyrm, from worm (n.). This is cognate with Norwegian slo Swedish slå, all perhaps from the Proto-Germanic root of sloe (n.) and ultimately from PIE *sleiə- "blue, bluish, blue-black" (see livid). The lizard would be so called for its color. The form has been influenced by slow (adj.).

slubberdegullion (n.)

"a slobbering or dirty fellow, a worthless sloven," 1610s, from slubber "to daub, smear; behave carelessly or negligently" (1520s), probably from Dutch or Low German (compare slobber (v.)). Second element appears to be an attempt to imitate French; or perhaps it is French, related to Old French goalon "a sloven." Century Dictionary speculates the -de- means "insignificant" or else is from hobbledehoy, and for the final element suggests cullion "a base fellow" (for which see cull (n.2)). For the formation, also compare gobbledygook.

sludge (n.)

"mud, mire, ooze," 1640s, a word of uncertain origin, possibly a variant of Middle English slutch "mud, mire," or of slush (n.). Related: Sludgy.

sluff (v.)

"avoid work," 1951 slang variant of slough (v.).

slug (n.1)

"shell-less land snail," 1704, originally "lazy person, slow, heavy fellow" (early 15c.) and related to sluggard. It was extended from persons to slow-moving animals by 1610s, and from the snails to similar soft-bodied creatures.

slug (n.2)

"heavy piece of crude metal for firing from a gun, lead bit, lead bullet not regularly formed," 1620s, perhaps a special use of slug (n.1), which at the time would have meant "lazy person or animal," perhaps on some supposed resemblance.

The meaning "token or counterfeit coin" is recorded from 1881; that of "strong drink" is recorded by 1756, perhaps from the slang phrase fire a slug "take a drink," though it also might be related to Irish slog "swallow."

In typography, "a thin blank of type metal" (1871), hence the journalism sense of "title or short guideline at the head of a news story in draft or galleys" (by 1925), short for slug-line, so called because usually it occupies one slug of type. Sometimes by error they get printed, and if the copy-editor's shorthand instruction is "dead head" or "kill widow," it can look bad.

slug (v.)

"strike heavily, deliver a hard blow with the fist," 1862, from slug (n.3). Related: Slugged; slugging. Earlier it meant "be lazy, inert, or slothful; lie in bed" (early 15c., sluggen, from slug (n.1) in the "lazy person" sense). In journalism, "give a story a slug-line," by 1925, from slug (n.2). To slug it out is by 1943.

slug (n.3)

"a hard blow," 1830, dialectal, of uncertain origin; perhaps related to slaughter or perhaps a secondary form of slay.

slug-a-bed (n.)

also slugabed, "one who lingers in bed through laziness, a sluggard," 1590s, with bed (n.) + a- (1) + obsolete slugge "lazy person" (c. 1400), which is perhaps from Scandinavian (see sluggard, and compare slug (n.1)).

slugfest (n.)

"exchange of heavy blows," by 1910, originally in reference to baseball, from slug (n.3) + -fest. Slugging-match "unskillful fistfight" is by 1878.

sluggard (n.)

late 14c. (late 13c. as a surname), slogard, "habitually lazy person, one afflicted with the sin of sloth," with -ard + Middle English sluggi "sluggish, indolent" (early 13c.), which is probably from Scandinavian; compare dialectal Norwegian slugga "be sluggish," sluggje "heavy, slow person," dialectal Swedish slogga "to be slow or sluggish."

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As an adjective meaning "sluggish, lazy" from 1590s. Related: Sluggardly; sluggardize. Sluggardie "idleness, indolence" is from late 14c.; sluggardry is by 1510s.

slugger (n.)

1877, originally in baseball, "hard-hitting batter," agent noun from slug (v.). The meaning "one who hits with the fists" is from 1883. Slogger in the same sense is by 1829.

sluggish (adj.)

mid-15c., of persons, the mind, etc., "habitually or temporarily lazy, indolent, negligent through sloth," from Middle English slugge "lazy person" (see sluggard) + -ish. Of things, "having or giving evidence of little motion," from 1630s. Earlier adjective was now-obsolete sluggy (early 13c.). Related: Sluggishly; sluggishness. Sluggish schizophrenia (1977) translates the Russian term for the alleged mental illness of political and religious dissidents confined and medicated in state mental hospitals, a diagnosis that existed nowhere outside Kremlin control.

slughorn (n.)

also slug-horn, "a short and ill-formed horn of an ox-like animal," 1825, provincial (East Anglia), from slug (n.2) "stunted horn" + horn (n.).

sluice (v.)

1590s, "let out, cause to flow out; draw off (liquid)," by or as by a sluice, from sluice (n.). In gold-mining, "to scour or cleanse by a sluice," by 1859. Related: Sluiced; sluicing.

sluice (n.)

c. 1400, earlier scluse (mid-14c.), "dam with a water-gate," a shortening of Old French escluse "sluice, floodgate" (Modern French écluse), from Late Latin exclusa "barrier to shut out water" (in aqua exclusa "water shut out," i.e. separated from the river), from fem. singular of Latin exclusus, past participle of excludere "to shut out" (see exclude).

The meaning "gate or contrivance by which the flow of water is controlled" is from 1610s. In mining, "trough made of boards for separating gold from gravel and sand," 1851. Sluiceway "channel or waterway fed by a sluice" is by 1779.

slum (n.)

"squalid district of a city, low and dangerous neighborhood," 1845, shortened from back slum "dirty back alley of a city, street of poor or low people" (1825), originally a slang or cant word meaning "room," especially "back room" (1812), like most cant words it is of unknown origin. It also meant "nonsensical talk or writing" (1812). Related: slums. Slumscape is from 1947.

slum (v.)

"visit slums of a city," especially for diversion or amusement, often under guise of philanthropy, 1884, from slum (n.). A pastime popularized by reform movement pamphlets (e.g. "The Bitter Cry of Outcast London," 1883) and East End novels. Earlier it meant "to visit slums for disreputable purposes or in search of vice" (1860). Related: Slummer; slumming.

slumber (v.)

mid-14c., slomberen, "doze, drowse, sleep lightly," an alteration of slumeren (mid-13c.), frequentative form of slumen "to doze," which is probably from Old English sluma "light sleep" (compare Middle Dutch slumen, Dutch sluimeren, Middle Low German slummern "become drowsy," German schlummern "to slumber"). With Germanic verbal suffix indicating repeated or diminutive action (see -er (4)).

Frequentative on the notion of "intermittent light sleep." Of things, "be in a state of inactivity," by 1580s. For the unetymological -b-, compare number, lumber, humble, chamber, etc. Related: Slumbered; slumbering.

slumber (n.)

mid-14c., slomber, "sleep, repose," from slumber (v.). Earlier noun was Middle English slume "a drowsy state," from Old English sluma. The youngster's slumber party sleep-over is attested by 1942. Slumber-wear "night clothes" is by 1909. Slumberland is from 1875. Slumberous "inclined to slumber" is from late 15c. Slombri "tending to doze" is from late 14c.

slumlord (n.)

also slum-lord, "landlord of slum property," 1899, from earlier slum landlord (1885); see slum (n.) + landlord.

slummy (adj.)

"resembling or of the nature of a squalid district of a city," 1873, from slum (n.) + -y (2). Related: Slummily; slumminess.

slump (v.)

1670s, "fall or sink suddenly into a muddy place," probably from a Scandinavian source such as Norwegian and Danish slumpe "fall upon," Swedish slumpa; perhaps ultimately of imitative origin. Related: Slumped; slumping.

Used figuratively of failure or falling through; the economic sense is by 1888.

slump (n.)

1850, "act of slumping, slumping movement;" 1888 as "heavy decline in prices on the stock exchange," from slump (v.). Generalized by 1896 to "sharp decline in trade or business."

slung

past tense and past participle of sling.

slunk

past tense and past participle of slink (v.).

slur (v.)

c. 1600, "smear, soil by smearing," from slur (n.). Meaning "disparage depreciate" is from 1650s. In music, "sing or play two or more sounds in a smooth, run-together manner," from 1746; of speech, "become indistinct through imperfect articulation," by 1827. Related: Slurred; slurring.