slug
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slug
shell
snail
slug
slug¹ /slʌg/ n 1 a small soft limbless plant-eating creature, related to the SNAIL but with no shell, that often damages garden plants 2 slugs and snails and puppy dogs' tails a phrase from a NURSERY RHYME (=an old song or poem for children) saying what little boys are made of
slug² n 1 a lump or piece of metal, especially a) infml, especially AmE a bullet b) AmE a coin-shaped object illegally put into a machine in place of a coin 2 [(off)] infml, especially AmE an amount of strong alcoholic drink taken at one swallow: a slug of whisky
slug³ v -gg- [T] infml 1 especially AmE to strike with a heavy blow, especially with the closed hand and so as to make unconscious 2 slug it out to fight fiercely to the end
slug·fest /'slʌgfest/ n infml especially AmE a situation in which people are arguing or fighting in a rude or angry way
slug·gard /'slʌgədɒl-ərd/ n lit a habitually lazy person
slug·ger /'slʌgər/ n AmE infml (in BASEBALL) a person who hits the ball very hard
slug·gish /'slʌgɪʃ/ adj slow-moving; not very active or quick: a sluggish stream/car engine | This humid heat makes you feel rather sluggish. | Trading on the stock exchange has been sluggish today. —ly adv —ness n [U]
sluice¹ /slu:s/ n a passage for water with an opening (a sluice gate or sluice valve) through which the flow can be controlled or stopped
sluice² v 1 [T(OUT, DOWN)] to wash with floods or streams of water (as if) from a sluice: We sluiced out the cowshed. 2 [+adv/prep] (of water) to come (as if) from a sluice; come in streams
slum¹ /slʌm/ n 1 also slums pl. — a city area of poor living conditions and old unrepaired buildings, especially in the centre of a city: living in the slums of London | derelict slum property → compare GHETTO, SHANTYTOWN 2 infml derog a very untidy place —my adj
slum² v -mm- infml 1 [I usually in progressive forms] to visit a place on a much lower social level than one's own, especially for interest or amusement 2 slum it old-fash to accept or choose a lower standard of living than one is used to: We'll have to slum it in the kitchen while the dining room is being painted.
slum·ber¹ /'slʌmbər/ v [I] lit to lie asleep; sleep peacefully —er n
slumber² also slumbers pl. — n [S;U] lit a state of sleep: He woke the princess from her slumber.
slum·ber·ous /'slʌmbərəs/ also slum·brous /'slʌmbrəs/ adj lit sleepy; wanting or suggesting sleep
'slumber party also sleep-over, pajama party n especially AmE a party in which a group of children, usually girls, all sleep at one person's house. Because everyone sleeps in the same room, they usually continue talking and laughing even when it is very late.
slum·lord /'slʌmlɔ:dɒl-lɔ:rd/ n AmE a LANDLORD (person who owns property to let) in a poor part of a city
slump¹ /slʌmp/ v [I] 1 [+adv/prep] to drop down suddenly and heavily: He was sitting slumped over his typewriter, with a knife in his back. 2 to go down suddenly or severely in number or strength: Sales have slumped badly in the last month. 3 to sit, stand, or walk with one's shoulders rounded or bent forward
slump² n 1 a period of seriously bad business conditions and unemployment; DEPRESSION: the economic slump of the 1930s 2 a sudden fall in value, trade etc: a slump in prices/demand 3 especially AmE a period of time when a player or team does not play well
slung /slʌŋ/ past tense & participle of SLING
slunk /slʌŋk/ past tense & participle of SLINK
slur¹ /slɜ:r/ v -rr- [T] 1 to pronounce (a sound in a word) unclearly or not at all: You could tell from his slurred speech that he was drunk. 2 tech to sing or play (notes) in a smooth and connected manner
slur² n 1 [S] a slurring way of speaking 2 [C] tech a curved line, ⌒ or ⌣, written over or under musical notes to show that they must be played smoothly without separation
slur³ v, -rr- [T] to make unfair damaging remarks, suggesting dishonesty etc —slur n [(on)] He felt the remarks cast a slur on his reputation.
slurp /slɜ:pɪlslɜ:rp/ v [I;T] infml to move or drink with the sound of noisy sucking: The oil slurped into the barrels. | Don't slurp your soup, children.
Slur·pee /'slɜ:piɒl-'ɜ:r-/ trademark AmE a drink made with crushed ice and a sweet liquid, usually tasting of fruit
slur·ry /'slʌrɪl'slɜ:ri/ n [U] a watery mixture, especially of clay, mud, LIME, or MANURE
slush /slʌʃ/ n 1 [U] partly melted snow; watery snow 2 [U] infml derog literature, books, films etc, concerned with silly love stories 3 [C;U] AmE (a glass of) a drink made with crushed ice and a sweet liquid: a cherry slush —y adj
'slush fund n especially AmE a sum of money (slush money) secretly kept for dishonest use, such as by a politician in an election
slut /slʌt/ n derog 1 a sexually immoral woman 2 an untidy lazy woman —tish adj
sly /slaɪ/ adj 1 not telling others one's intentions or thoughts; having or showing a secretive nature: You're a sly one! Why didn't you tell us you were going to get married? | a sly smile 2 clever in deceiving; dishonestly tricky: a sly old fox 3 on the sly infml secretly and usually dishonestly or illegally: I think she's making expensive personal telephone calls from work on the sly. —slyly, sliiy adv —ness n [U]
smack¹ /smæk/ v [T] 1 to strike quickly and forcefully, especially with the flat part of the hands making a loud noise: If you children don't behave, I'll smack your bottoms! → compare SPANK; see SLAP (USAGE) 2 to open and close (one's lips) noisily, especially as a sign of eagerness to eat 3 [+obj+adv/prep] to put firmly, making a quick loud noise: He smacked down a £5 note and said 'Keep the change!'
smack² n 1 a quick loud noise: The book hit the floor with a smack. 2 [(on)] infml a loud kiss: She gave him a smack on the cheek. 3 [(on, in)] infml a quick loud forceful blow: a smack on the jaw 4 [(at)] infml an attempt: I'm willing to have a smack at it.
smack³ adv [+adv/prep] infml 1 with force: The car ran smack into a wall. 2 also smack-dab, smack-bang especially AmE directly; exactly; right: There it was, smack in the middle of the room.
smack⁴ n a small sailing boat used for fishing
smack⁵ v
smack of sthg. phr v [T] to have a taste or suggestion of (something negative or unwanted): His remarks smack of disloyalty. | The government's change of heart smacks of expediency.
smack⁶ also scag, skag— n [U] slang for HEROIN
smack·er /'smækər/ n infml 1 [usually pl.] also smack·er·oo /ˌsmækə'ru:/ — a pound or dollar 2 a loud kiss
small¹ /smɔ:l/ adj 1 of less than usual or average size, weight, amount, force, importance etc; not large: He's a small man, only five feet tall. | My daughter is small for her age. | The mouse is a very small animal. | a small number of people | He has a small family. | She'd managed to save a small amount of money. | You made one or two small mistakes, but otherwise your work was good. | These shoes are too small for me. → opposite LARGE 2 [A] young: This is a story for small children. 3 [A] doing only a limited amount of a business or activity: He's in business in a small way. | a small farmer/shopkeeper | She's a very small eater. (=does not eat a lot) 4 [A] very little; slight: It's small consolation to know that he lost as much on the deal as I did. | You've been eating far too much – small wonder (=it is not surprising) you're getting fat! 5 (of a letter) LOWER CASE: 'Church' is sometimes written with a capital C and sometimes with a small c. | (fig.) I'm a democrat with a small 'd'. (=I believe in principles of freedom, but do not belong to the Democratic