among particular groups of people, and is usually not used in serious speech or writing. Slang words and phrases are marked slang in this dictionary: schoolboy/prison slang | 'Slag off' is British slang for/is a slang expression for 'criticize'. → see also RHYMING SLANG —→y adj derog Don't use such slangy expressions in your essays.
$ s\mathsf{lang}^{2}v[T] $ BrE infml to attack with rude angry words: After the accident the two drivers started slanging each other/started a slanging match in the middle of the road.
slant¹ /sla:ntllslənt/ v 1 [l;T] to be or put at an angle, instead of being straight up and down or HORIZONTAL; (cause to) slope: slanting handwriting | a slanting roof | The sunlight slanted through the trees. 2 [T usually pass.] usually derog to express or describe (facts, events etc) in a way favourable to a particular opinion: The newspaper report was slanted towards/in favour of the unions. ︷ingly adv
slant² n 1 [S] a slanting direction or position: a steep slant | The lines are drawn at/on a slant. 2 [C(on)] sometimes derog a particular way of looking at or expressing facts or a situation: Reading the reports in foreign newspapers gives you an interesting new slant on the election. | The editorial had an anti-union slant.
slant·wise /'slænt-waɪz|'slænt-/ adj, adv at a slant; in a slanting direction
slap¹/slap/n 1 a quick hit with the flat part of the hand: He gave her a slap on the cheek. 2 slap in the face infml an action that seems to be aimed directly and intentionally against someone else; REBUFF: It was a slap in the face for her parents when she ignored their advice and gave up her job. 3 slap on the back infml an expression of praise or thanks for something done; CONGRATULATIONS 4 slap on the wrist infml a gentle (perhaps too gentle) punishment or warning: The law ought to be tougher; we shouldn’t just give criminals a slap on the wrist!
$  \text{slap}^2 \vee \text{-pp-} \cdot \text{1 [T]}  $ to hit quickly with the flat part of the hand: She slapped her little boy for being rude. | If you touch me again I'll slap your face! 2 [|+prep;T] to move against (a surface) with a sound like a slap: The small waves slapped against the jetty. 3 [T+obj+adv/prep, especially on] to place or put quickly, roughly, or carelessly: He slapped the document down on the desk. | She slapped the paint thickly on the wall. | The council has slapped a demolition order on the old building.
Compare slap, smack, and punch. Slap and smack are both used about hitting someone with an open hand. Slap is usually used about hitting someone across the face: She slapped his face. Smack is used especially about hitting children: Be quiet or I'll smack you. I'll smack your bottom if you don't behave. Punch is used about hitting someone or something with a closed hand: A boxer tries to punch his opponent. It is generally believed that women tend to slap and men tend to punch.
slap sbdy./sthg. ⇔ down phr v [T] infml to force into silence or inactivity, especially rudely or unfairly, because of disapproval, annoyance etc: When I try to make intelligent contributions at meetings, the chairman always slaps me down.
slap³ also, slap-¹bang adv [+prep] infmi directly; right; SMACK: The car ran slap into a tree. | The crisis blew up slap-bang in the middle of my holiday, and I had to return home.
,slap and 'tickle n [U] BrE old-fash infml, humor playful lovemaking: We were having a bit of slap and tickle in the back row of the cinema.
slap·dash /'slæpdæʃ/ adj done, made etc, in a hasty careless way: very slapdash workmanship | She's very slapdash with her work.
slap·hap·py /'slæp,hæpi/ adj infml cheerfully slapdash or irresponsible
slap·head /'slæphed/ n BrE infml an impolite word for someone who is BALD
slap·per /ˈslæpər/ n [U] BrE slang a sexually immoral woman, or a woman who remains strong and cheerful in spite of a difficult life
slap-stick /'slæp,stɪk/ n [U] humorous acting (COMEDY) that depends on rather violent fast action and simple jokes
CULTURAL NOTE A typical slapstick scene might include someone being hit in the face with a CUSTARD PIE or people accidentally running into one another or hitting one another.
'slap-up adj [A] BrE infml (especially of food) excellent and in large quantities: He promised us a slap-up meal at the best restaurant in town.
slash¹ /slæʃ/ ↓ 1 [|(at);T] to cut with long sweeping violent strokes, using a sword, knife, or sharp tool: She slashed at the bushes with a stick. | He tried to commit suicide by slashing his wrists. | Some vandals had slashed the seat covers on the train. | We slashed our way through the dense vegetation. | (fig.) The paper has made a slashing (=very fierce) attack on the government. 2 [T usually pass.] infml to reduce (an amount, price etc) very greatly: 'This week only: prices slashed!' (shop advertisement) | The new president slashed the defence budget by almost 30%. 3 [|+adv/prep] (especially of rain) to come hard down and across: The rain slashed against the window. 4 [T(with) usually pass.] to cut (a piece of clothing) in order to sew in or show a different colour in the opening
slash² n 1 [C] a long sweeping cut or blow 2 [C] a straight cut making an opening in a piece of clothing 3 [S] BrE infml, not polite an act of passing water from the body; used mostly by men: I'm just going to have a slash. 4 [C] also 'slash mark — an OBLIQUE: '7/2' can be read as 'seven slash two'.
,slash and 'burn adj characterized by the cutting down and burning of trees and bushes to make land available for crops: slash and burn agriculture
slasher /'slæʃər/ n infml slasher film/movie etc a very violent film
slat /slæt/ n a thin narrow flat piece of wood, plastic etc, especially in furniture or VENETIAN BLINDS —-ted adj: a slatted bench
slate¹ /sleit/ n 1 [U] a heavy usually dark grey rock that can easily be split into flat thin pieces 2 [C] a small piece of slate or other material used for laying in rows to cover a roof: Several slates blew off during the storm. 3 [C] a small board made of slate or wood, used especially formerly for writing on with chalk 4 [the S] BrE infml a record of things bought but not yet paid for: Two whiskies, please; and could you put them on the slate? (=I will pay for them at a later date) 5 [C] an imaginary record of the past, especially of mistakes, faults, disagreements etc: Let's wipe the slate clean and forget our past quarrels. | You're all beginning here with clean slates (=having done no wrong); make sure you keep it that way. 6 [C] AmE a list of people, especially those of the same party, who are CANDIDATES in an election
slate² v [T] 1 to cover (a roof) with slates 2 [+obj+for/to -v usually pass.] especially AmE a) to choose for a position or job: She's slated to be the next chairman. b) to expect or plan to happen: The meeting is slated to take place/slated for next week.
slate $ ^{3} $ v [T] BrE infml to attack in words; severely CRITICIZE: His latest play has been really slated by the critics.
slat·tern /'slætənl-ərn/ n old-fash derog a dirty untidy woman
—ly adj
slat-y /'sleiti/ adj like or containing slate: a slaty grey colour
slaugh·ter¹ /'slɔːtər/ n [U] 1 the killing of many people or animals, especially cruelly, wrongly, or in a battle; MASSACRE: The battlefield was a scene of terrible slaughter. 2 the killing of animals for meat: The pigs are fattened until they're ready for slaughter.
slaughter² v [T] 1 to kill (especially many people) cruelly or wrongly; MASSACRE: Thousands of people are needlessly slaughtered each year in road accidents. 2 to kill (an animal) for food 3 infml to defeat severely in a game → see KILL (USAGE)
slaugh·ter·house /'slɔːtəhaʊs|l-ər-/ also abattoir BrE — npl. -houses /,hauz'z/ a building where animals are killed for meat
,Slaughter of the 'Innocents, the → see MASSACRE OF THE INNOCENTS
Slav /slɑːvˈslɑːv, slæv/ n a member of any of the eastern European peoples who speak Slavonic languages
slave $ ^{1} $ /sleiv/ n 1 a person who is legally owned by someone