Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary
SLED — SLOTH
SLED, n. 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, v.t. To convey or transport on a sled; as, to sled wood or timber.
SLEDDED, pp. Conveyed on a sled.
SLEDDING, ppr. Conveying on a sled.
SLEDDING, n. 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, n.
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, a. [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, n. That which make smooth; varnish. [Little used.]
SLEEK, v.t.
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, adv. With ease and dexterity; with exactness. [Vulgar.]
SLEEKLY, adv. Smoothly; nicely.
SLEEKNESS, n. Smoothness of surface.
SLEEKSTONE, n. A smoothing stone.
SLEEKY, a. Of a sleek or smooth appearance. [Not in use.]
SLEEP, v.i. pret. and pp. 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. 1 Thessalonians 4:14.
6. To be careless, inattentive or unconcerned; not be vigilant.
SLEEP, n. 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.
SLEEPER, n.
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, etc.
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.]
SLEEPFUL, a. Strongly inclined to sleep. [Little used.]
SLEEPFULNESS, n. Strong inclination to sleep. [Little used.]
SLEEPILY, adv.
1. Drowsily; with desire to sleep.
2. Dully; in a lazy manner; heavily Raleigh
3. Stupidly.
SLEEPINESS, n. Drowsiness; inclination to sleep.
SLEEPING, ppr. Resting; reposing in sleep.
SLEEPING, n. The state of resting in sleep.
SLEEPLESS, a.
1. Having no sleep; without sleep; wakeful.
2. Having no rest; perpetually agitated; as Biscay’s sleepless bay.
SLEEPLESSNESS, n. Want or destitution of sleep.
SLEEPY, a.
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, n.
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, v.i. To snow or hail with a mixture of rain.
SLEETY, a. Bringing sleet.
SLEEVE, n.
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, v.t.
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.]
SLEID, v.t. To sley or prepare for use in the weaver’s sley or slaie.
SLEIGH, n. 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, n. 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, a. Artful; cunningly dexterous.
SLENDER, a.
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.
SLENDERLY, adv.
1. Without bulk.
2. Slightly; meanly; as a debt to be slenderly regarded.
3. Insufficiently; as a table slenderly supplied.
SLENDERNESS, n. 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, v.i. To make an oblique remark. [Not used. See Slant.]
SLEPT, pret. and pp. of sleep.
SLEW, pret. of slay.
SLEY, n. A weaver’s reed. [See Sleave and Sleid.]
SLEY, v.t. To separate; to part threads and arrange them in a reed; as weavers.
SLICE, v.t.
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, n. 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, etc.
4. In ship-building, a tapering piece of plank to be driven between the timbers before planking.
SLICED, pp. Cut into broad thin pieces.
SLICH, n. The ore of a metal when pounded and prepared for working.
SLICING, ppr. Cutting into broad thin pieces.
SLICK, the popular pronunciation of sleek, and so written by some authors.
SLICKENSIDES, n. A name which workmen give to a variety of galena in Derbyshire.
SLID, pret. of slide.
SLID, SLIDDER, pp. of slide.
SLIDDER, v.i. [See Slide.] To slide with interruption. [Not in use.]
SLIDDER, SLIDDERLY, a. [See Slide.] Slippery. [Not in use.]
SLIDE, v.i. pret. slid; pp. 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, v.t.
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, n.
1. A smooth and easy passage; also, a slider.
2. Flow; even course.
SLIDER, n.
1. One that slides.
2. The part of an instrument or machine that slides.
SLIDING, ppr. Moving along the surface by slipping; gliding; passing smoothly, easily or imperceptibly.
SLIDING, n. Lapse; falling; used in backsliding.
SLIDING-RULE, n. A mathematical instrument used to determine measure or quantity without compasses, by sliding the parts one by another.
SLIGHT, a. [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, n.
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, v.t.
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, pp. Neglected.
SLIGHTEN, v.t. To slight or disregard. [Not in use.]
SLIGHTER, n. One who neglects.
SLIGHTING, ppr. Neglecting; disregarding.
SLIGHTINGLY, adv. With neglect; without respect.
SLIGHTLY, adv.
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, n.
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, a.
1. Superficial; slight.
2. Trifling; inconsiderable.
SLILY, adv. [from sly.] With artful or dexterous secrecy. Satan slily robs us of our grand treasure.
SLIM, a. [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, n. [L. limus.] Soft moist earth having an adhesive quality; viscous mud. The had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar. Genesis 11:3.
SLIME-PIT, n. A pit of slime or adhesive mire.
SLIMINESS, n. The quality of slime; consisting of slime.
SLIMY, a.
1. Abounding with slime; consisting of slime.
2. Overspread with slime; as a slimy eel.
3. Viscous; glutinous; as a slimy soil.
SLINESS, n. [from sly.] Dexterous artifice to conceal any thing; artful secrecy.
SLING, n.
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, v.t. pret. and pp. 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.
SLINGER, n. One who slings or uses the sling.
SLINGING, ppr. Throwing with a sling; hanging so as to swing; moving by a sling.
SLINK, v.i. pret. and pp. 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, v.t. To cast prematurely; to miscarry of; as the female of a beast.
SLINK, n. Produced prematurely, as the young of a beast.
SLIP, v.i. [L. 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, v.t.
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, n.
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, n. A board sliding in grooves.
SLIP-KNOT, n. A bow-knot; a knot which will not beat a strain, or which os easily untied.
SLIPPER, n.
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. [L. crepis.]
4. A kind of iron slide or lock for the use of a heavy wagon.
SLIPPER, a. Slippery [Not in use.]
SLIPPERED, a. Wearing slippers.
SLIPPERILY, adv. [from slippery.] In a slippery manner.
SLIPPERINESS, n.
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.
SLIPPERY, a.
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.
SLIPPY, a. Slippery. [Not in use.]
SLIPSHOD, a. [slip and shod.] Wearing shoes like slippers, without pulling up the quarters.
SLIPSTRING, n. [slip and string.] One that has shaken off restraint; a prodigal; called also slopthrift, but I believe seldom or never used.
SLIT, v.t. pret. slit; pp. 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, n.
1. A long cut; or a narrow opening; as a slit in the ear.
2. A cleft or crack in the breast of cattle.
SLITTER, n. One that slits.
SLITTING, ppr. Cutting lengthwise.
SLITTING-MILL, n. A mill where iron bars are slit into nail rods etc.
SLIVE, v.i. To sneak.
SLIVER, v.t. To cut or divide into long thin pieces, or into very small pieces; to cut or rend lengthwise; as, to sliver wood.
SLIVER, n. 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, n. [from the root of L. 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, etc.]
SLOBBER, 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, n. A small wild plum, the fruit of the black thorn. [Prunus spinosa.]
SLOOM, n. Slumber. [Not used.]
SLOOMY, a. Sluggish; slow. [Not used.]
SLOOP, n. 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, v.t. [probably allied to lap.] To drink greedily and grossly. [Little used.]
SLOP, n. [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, n. Trowsers; a loose lower garment; drawers; hence, ready made clothes.
SLOPSELLER, n. A shop where ready made clothes are sold.
SLOPE, a. [This word contains the elements of L. labor, lapsus, and Eng. slip; also of L. 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, n.
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, v.t. 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, v.i. To take an oblique direction; to be declivous or inclined.
SLOPENESS, n. Declivity; obliquity. [Not much used.]
SLOPEWISE, adv. Obliquely.
SLOPING, ppr.
1. Taking an inclined direction.
2. a. Oblique; declivous; inclining or inclined from a horizontal of other right line.
SLOPINGLY, adv. Obliquely; with a slope.
SLOPPINESS, n. [from sloppy.] Wetness of the earth; muddiness.
SLOPPY, a. Wet, as the ground; muddy; plashy.
SLOT, v.t. To shut with violence; to slam, that is to drive. [Not in use.]
SLOT, n. A broad flat wooden bar.
SLOT, n. The track of a deer.
SLOTH, n.
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.