slip

present singular third person slips · participle present slipping · participle past slipped · past slipped · obsolete participle past slipt · obsolete past slipt

1. intransitiveTo lose one’s traction on a slippery surface; to slide due to a lack of friction.

   [...] but in the damp conditions prevailing the driver sensibly was unwilling to attempt the climb up through Combe Down tunnel without help, for fear of slipping to a standstill in the unventilated bore, […]

   1960 March, “Motive Power Miscellany: Western Region”, in Trains Illustrated, page 184

   1 more example

   Fernando Amorebieta seemed to have checked him, but a stepover created a fraction of room that became significant as the defender slipped, giving Falcao just enough space to curl a superb finish into the top corner.

   2012 May 9, Jonathan Wilson, “Europa League: Radamel Falcao’s Atlético Madrid rout Athletic Bilbao”, in the Guardian

2. intransitiveTo err.

   There is one that slippeth in his speach, but not from his heart, and who is he that hath not offended with his tongue?

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Ecclesiasticus 19:16

3. intransitiveTo accidentally reveal a secret or otherwise say something unintentionally.

   She kept engaging with the caller, though, hoping he would slip and reveal her daughter’s location.

   2026 July 29, Nicholas Muhoro, “Amy Billig Vanished While Hitchhiking Through Coconut Grove. Then the Calls Began”, in Skip Boring, archived from the original on 31 Jul 2026

4. intransitiveTo move or fly (out of place); to shoot; often with out, off, etc.

   A bone may slip out of place.

5. transitiveTo elude or evade by smooth movement.

   I caught the thief, but he slipped my grasp and ran away.

6. transitiveTo pass (a note, money, etc.), often covertly.

   She thanked the porter and slipped a ten-dollar bill into his hand.

7. transitiveTo cause to move smoothly and quickly; to slide; to convey gently or secretly.

   “This is a very urgent message for the countess’ ears alone,” replied Rokoff. “Tell her that she must arise and slip something about her and come to the telephone. I shall call up again in five minutes.”

   1913, Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Return of Tarzan, New York: Ballantine Books, published 1963, page 43

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   Tvvo other VVitneſſes gave the follovving Evidence; That in his officious Attendance upon his Miſtreſs, he had try'd to ſlip a Povvder into her Drink, and that he vvas once catch'd endeavouring to ſtifle her vvith a Pillovv as ſhe vvas aſleep; […]

   1733, Humphry Polesworth [pseudonym; John Arbuthnot], Alexander Pope, compiler, “Law is a Bottomless Pit. Or, The History of John Bull. […]. The Second Part. Chapter XI. The Apprehending, Examination, and Imprisonment of Jack, for Suspicion of Poisoning.”, in Miscellanies, 2nd edition, volume II, London: […] Benjamin Motte, […], →OCLC, page 119

8. intransitiveTo move quickly and often secretively; to depart, withdraw, enter, appear, intrude, or escape as if by sliding.

   Some errors slipped into the appendix.

   5 more examples

   Thrice the flitting shadow slipped away.

   1697, Virgil, “Aeneis”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC

   Thus one tradesman slips away, / To give his partner fairer play.

   1718, Mat[thew] Prior, “Alma: Or, The Progress of the Mind”, in Poems on Several Occasions, London: […] Jacob Tonson […], and John Barber […], →OCLC, canto II

   We slipped along the hedges, noiseless and swift […]

   1881–1882, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island, London; Paris: Cassell & Company, published 14 November 1883, →OCLC

   Keith wants to have it both ways. He has engaged me in a political debate, but when his politics are challenged he slips behind a smoke-screen of anti-intellectualism.

   1981 December 12, Scott Tucker, “Bring On The Cannon”, in Gay Community News, volume 9, number 21, page 5

   He was grey and had eight legs, and could travel anywhere and slip into any corner of 9 worlds. For this reason he was called Sleipnir ("the slipper) and was given to Oðinn as his steed.

   2020, Dagulf Loptson, Pagan Portals - Loki: Trickster and Transformer

   Synonyms: slink

9. figurativelyintransitiveTo move down; to slide.

   Profits have slipped over the past six months.

   1 more example

   The Cottagers had previously gone eight games without a win and had slipped into the relegation zone over Christmas, with boss Hughes criticised by fans after their 3-1 home defeat by fellow basement battlers West Ham on Boxing Day.

   2010 December 28, Marc Vesty, “Stoke 0 – 2 Fulham”, in BBC Sport

10. transitivefalconryTo release (a dog, a bird of prey, etc.) to go after a quarry.

    Lucento slipped me like his greyhound.

    c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii]

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    'Well, it was one morning early in the spring,' said Lars, 'that I started for Linderudsœter, where I slipped Rap, and he was soon in full cry and made the hillside ring.'

    1881, P. Chr. Asbjörnsen [i.e., Peter Christen Asbjørnsen], translated by H. L. Brækstad, Round the Yule Log. Norwegian Folk and Fairy Tales, London: Sampson Low, Marston, Searle, & Rivington, →OCLC, page 78

11. abbreviationclippingintransitiveaeronauticsClipping of sideslip (“to fly with the longitudinal axis misaligned with the relative wind”).
12. transitivecookingTo remove the skin of a soft fruit, such as a tomato or peach, by blanching briefly in boiling water, then transferring to cold water so that the skin peels, or slips, off easily.
13. obsoleteTo omit; to lose by negligence.

    And slip no advantage / That may secure you.

    1611, Ben[jamin] Jonson, Catiline His Conspiracy, London: […] [William Stansby?] for Walter Burre, →OCLC, (please specify the page)

14. transitiveTo cut slips from; to cut; to take off; to make a slip or slips of.

    to slip a piece of cloth or paper

    1 more example

    The branches also may be slipped and planted.

    1707, J[ohn] Mortimer, The Whole Art of Husbandry; or, The Way of Managing and Improving of Land. […], London: […] J[ohn] H[umphreys] for H[enry] Mortlock […], and J[onathan] Robinson […], →OCLC

15. transitiveTo cause to slip or slide off, or out of place.

    A horse slips his bridle; a dog slips his collar.

16. To bring forth (young) prematurely; to slink.
17. transitivebusinessTo cause (a schedule or release, etc.) to go, or let it go, beyond the allotted deadline.

    We have been consistently slipping the product release schedules.

    2005, Raj Karamchedu, It's Not About the Technology

    2 more examples

    If you are going to slip the schedule, make it a big slip and make it early in your endgame effort so that your stakeholders can respond and adjust around you.

    2013, Robert Galen, Software Endgames

    As for trains, the contract was due to be awarded last year, but Rayner confirms that this has slipped and will now be awarded next year.

    2020 July 1, Chris Rayner tells Richard Clinnick, “High Speed 2 is speeding up …”, in Rail, page 65

plural slips

1. An act or instance of slipping.

   I had a slip on the ice and bruised my hip.

2. A woman's undergarment worn under a skirt or dress to conceal unwanted nudity that may otherwise be revealed by the skirt or dress itself; a shift.
3. A slipdress.
4. A mistake or error.

   a slip of the tongue

   2 more examples

   This good man's slip mended his pace to martyrdom.

   1655, Thomas Fuller, The Church-history of Britain; […], London: […] Iohn Williams […], →OCLC, (please specify |book=I to XI)

   In quoting this passage I have taken the liberty to correct a grammatical slip.

   1906, James George Frazer, Attis, Otis, Osiris, volume 1, page 295

   Synonyms: blooper, blunder, boo-boo, defect, error, fault, faux pas, fluff

5. nauticalA berth; a space for a ship to moor.
6. aeronauticsA difference between the theoretical distance traveled per revolution of the propeller and the actual advance of the vessel.
7. nauticalA slipway.
8. medicineA one-time return to previous maladaptive behavior after cure.

   Synonyms: lapse

9. ball gamesAny of several fielding positions to the off side of the wicket keeper, designed to catch the ball after being deflected from the bat; a fielder in that position (See first slip, second slip, third slip, fourth slip and fifth slip.)

   He took a screamer at slip.

10. A number between 0 and 1 that is the difference between the angular speed of a rotating magnetic field and the angular speed of its rotor, divided by the angular speed of the magnetic field.
11. A leash or string by which a dog is held; so called from its being made in such a manner as to slip, or become loose, by relaxation of the hand.

    We stalked over the extensive plains with Killbuck and Lena in the slips, in search of deer.

    1852, Samuel Baker, The Rifle and the Hound in Ceylon

12. An escape; a secret or unexpected desertion.

    He gave the warden the slip and escaped from the prison.

    1 more example

    This morning I made a slip from the Office to White Hall.

    1669 February 13 (date written; Gregorian calendar), Samuel Pepys, Mynors Bright, transcriber, “February 4th, 1668–1669”, in Henry B[enjamin] Wheatley, editor, The Diary of Samuel Pepys […], volume (please specify |volume=I to X), London: George Bell & Sons […]; Cambridge: Deighton Bell & Co., published 1893–1899, →OCLC

13. abbreviationclippingaeronauticsClipping of sideslip.
14. datedmediaA portion of the columns of a newspaper, etc., struck off by itself; a proof from a column of type when set up and in the galley.
15. datedA child's pinafore.
16. An outside covering or case.

    a pillow slip

    1 more example

    the slip or sheath of a sword

17. obsoleteA counterfeit piece of money, made from brass covered with silver.

    ROMEO:[…]Good morrow to you both. What counterfeit did I give you? MERCUTIO:The slip, sir, the slip. Can you not conceive?

    c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iv]

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

    the Grindstone, commonly called Slipp, is used to the same purpose in dying of Silks.

    1667, William Petty, An apparatus to the history of the common practices of dying

19. A particular quantity of yarn.
20. UKdatedA narrow passage between buildings.
21. Either side of the gallery in a theater.

    The gallery contains nine rows of seats, besides those in the slips.

    1826, Edward Wedlake Brayley, Historical and Descriptive Accounts of the Theatres of London, page 65

22. USA long seat or narrow pew in churches, often without a door.
23. businessA dislocation of a lead, destroying continuity.
24. engineeringThe motion of the centre of resistance of the float of a paddle wheel, or the blade of an oar, through the water horizontally, or the difference between a vessel's actual speed and the speed it would have if the propelling instrument acted upon a solid; also, the velocity, relatively to still water, of the backward current of water produced by the propeller.
25. businessThe difference between the actual and synchronous speeds of an induction motor.
26. communicationsThe positional displacement in a sequence of transmitted symbols that causes the loss or insertion of one or more symbols.
27. A fish, the sole.
28. crosswordingA newsletter produced by the setter of a cryptic clue-writing competition, containing a full list of winners and commentary on the clues.

    Manley is also a regular at the top of the Azed slip. As the two men talked, they quoted memorable clues as if they were lines of poetry.

    2009 June 23, Dean Olsher, From Square One: A Meditation, with Digressions, on Crosswords, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN

    2 more examples

    After about a dozen competitions someone suggested that a slip should be sent round to those who applied for it, containing in full the clues of all prizewinners and of those highly commended (there was only room for the first prizewinner’s clue in the paper).

    1966, Ximenes, Ximenes On The Art Of The Crossword

    Over the years I have given my views several times on this issue, both in the slips and in my 2006 book A-Z of Crosswords, but it will do no harm to repeat them yet again.

    2013 March 25, Jonathan Crowther, “Azed slip No 2,126”, in The Guardian

29. An incompletely caponized cockerel.

    Though comb excision as a way to reduce virility would seem gratuitous in the case of complete castration, the same may not apply in the case of slips; […]

    1987, Robert Bates Graber, Gregory C. Richter, “The Capon Theory of the Cuckold's Horns: Confirmation or Conjecture?”, in The Journal of American Folklore, volume 100, number 395, page 61

    1 more example

    An expert will caponize several hundred in a day. The loss does not reach one per cent when properly done by an expert, and the slips do not exceed five per cent

    1892 March 28, “Capons bring money”, in The Poultry Keeper, page 181b

plural slips

1. A twig or shoot; a cutting.

   a slip from a vine

   1 more example

   "So much for auguries," said Emily, pointing to a young geranium, which was growing in vigour below. "The day before I left home, I planted that slip, and, in idea, linked my futurity with the slight shrub, saying, If it flourishes, so shall I—if it dies, I shall die too. See how luxuriantly it blooms!"

   1831, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XIX, in Romance and Reality. […], volume III, London: Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC, page 322

2. obsoleteA descendant, a scion.

   a native slip to us from foreign seeds

   c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii]

3. A young person (now usually with of introducing descriptive qualifier).

   She couldn't hurt a fly, young slip of a girl that she is.

4. A long, thin piece of something.

   Never, nevermore / Shall lone Œnone see the morning mist / Sweep thro' them—never see them overlaid / With narrow moonlit slips of silver cloud, / Between the loud stream and the trembling stars.

   1832 December (indicated as 1833), Alfred Tennyson, “Œnone”, in Poems, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 62

5. A small piece of paper, especially one longer than it is wide, typically a form for writing on or one giving printed information.

   a salary slip

6. marine insuranceA memorandum of the particulars of a risk for which a policy is to be executed. It usually bears the broker's name and is initiated by the underwriters.

plural slips

1. countableuncountableceramicsA thin, slippery mix of clay and water.

   The Wasserpfeife or water-whistle from Moravia was a bird whistle made during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. […] The bird is of a grey and brown mottled glaze with sgraffito markings and touches of green slip.

   1971, Gwen White, Antique Toys And Their Background, page 172

2. countableobsoleteuncountableMud, slime.