give someone the slip

verb

To evade, escape, or get away from somebody.

“The police chased the suspect for two days before he finally gave them the slip and vanished.”

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Meanings

verbgive someone the slip (third-person singular simple present gives someone the slip, present participle giving someone the slip, simple past gave someone the slip, past participle given someone the slip)

present singular third person gives someone the slip · participle present giving someone the slip · past gave someone the slip · participle past given someone the slip

  1. idiomaticTo evade, escape, or get away from somebody.

    The police chased the suspect for two days before he finally gave them the slip and vanished.

    1 more example

    One way or another I'm gonna lose ya, I'm gonna give you the slip.

    1979, Blondie, One Way or Another (song)

Translations

Finnish livahtaa, livistää
  • livahtaato evade, escape, or get away from somebody
  • livistääto evade, escape, or get away from somebody
French fausser compagnie
  • fausser compagnieto evade, escape, or get away from somebody
German die Biege machen, sich vom Acker machen
  • die Biege machento evade, escape, or get away from somebody
  • sich vom Acker machento evade, escape, or get away from somebody
Polish zwiewać, zwiać
  • zwiewaćto evade, escape, or get away from somebody
  • zwiaćto evade, escape, or get away from somebody
Russian ускользну́ть, улизну́ть
  • ускользну́ть (uskolʹznútʹ)to evade, escape, or get away from somebody
  • улизну́ть (uliznútʹ)to evade, escape, or get away from somebody
Spanish dar esquinazo, salirse por la tangente
  • dar esquinazoto evade, escape, or get away from somebody
  • salirse por la tangenteto evade, escape, or get away from somebody
Cite this entry
APA

give someone the slip. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/give%20someone%20the%20slip

MLA

“give someone the slip.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/give%20someone%20the%20slip. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “give someone the slip,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/give%20someone%20the%20slip.

Source: give someone the slip on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.