slave
Americannoun
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slaves
plural
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a person who is the property of and wholly subject to another and forced to provide unpaid labor.
-
a person entirely under the domination of some influence or person.
She was a slave to her own ambition.
-
a drudge.
a housekeeping slave.
-
a slave ant.
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Photography. a subsidiary flash lamp actuated through its photoelectric cell when the principal flash lamp is discharged.
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Machinery, Computers. a device or process under control of or repeating the actions of a similar device or process.
verb (used without object)
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slaves,
present (3rd person singular)
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slaved,
past participle, past
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slaving
present participle
verb (used with object)
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slaves,
present (3rd person singular)
-
slaved,
past participle, past
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slaving
present participle
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Machinery, Computers. to connect (a device) to a master as its slave.
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Archaic. to enslave.
noun
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a person legally owned by another and having no freedom of action or right to property
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a person who is forced to work for another against his will
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a person under the domination of another person or some habit or influence
a slave to television
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a person who works in harsh conditions for low pay
-
-
a device that is controlled by or that duplicates the action of another similar device (the master device)
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( as modifier )
slave cylinder
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verb
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to work like a slave
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(tr) an archaic word for enslave
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
slavesimple
-
slavessimple
-
have slavedperfect
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has slavedperfect
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am slavingprogressive
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are slavingprogressive
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is slavingprogressive
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have been slavingperfect progressive
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has been slavingperfect progressive
Past
-
slavedsimple
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had slavedperfect
-
was slavingprogressive
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were slavingprogressive
-
had been slavingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of slave
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English sclave (also slave ), from Old French escla(i)ve, and Medieval Latin sclāvus (masculine), sclāva (feminine) “slave,” special use of Sclāvus “Slavic, a Slav, slave” (Latin does not tolerate the consonant cluster sl- and employs the cluster scl- instead); so called because Slavs in Central Europe and the Balkans were commonly enslaved in the early Middle Ages; see origin at Slav
Explanation
Someone who is forcibly held in servitude is called a slave. The practice of owning slaves is immoral and detestable. Throughout history there have been slaves, and in some parts of the world some people still force others into slavery. Often the word is used more loosely. You might buy a lot of clothes because you're a slave to the latest fashion trends. You could spend all day in the kitchen, preparing 12 casseroles, working like a slave. That kind of exaggeration is common, but don't kid yourself: nothing is really similar to — or as horrible as — being a slave.
Vocabulary lists containing slave
"Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad"
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Workshop 4, Part 1
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Ancient Greece, Lessons 4–8
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
It called on the monarch to refer three questions on the legality of the transatlantic slave trade to the Caribbean island's highest court of appeal based in London.
From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026
Modern British royals have expressed remorse for the brutal slave trade that enriched their ancestors, but like the UK government have not issued an official apology for the slave trade.
From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026
Last week, a Downing Street spokesperson said the transatlantic slave trade was "abhorrent" but the UK position was that it does not pay reparations.
From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026
When slavery was abolished across most of the empire in 1833, the British government paid £20 million to slave owners in compensation.
From BBC ● Sep. 6, 2026
Following this revolt by slaves, abolitionist writings are censored and harsher slave codes are passed.
From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis
They would return when the winds shifted, their traditional dhow sailboats carrying slaves, spices, mangrove poles, ivory and skins.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2026
“We were slaves to the fiat system,” she said, “but Bitcoin brought hope back into my life, hope that I can retire someday.”
From Slate ● Sep. 20, 2026
Mr. Rebeiro, to his credit, concedes that the historical evidence strongly indicates that fugitive slaves were contemplated by the clause.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
Jamestown is one of the oldest districts in the city, a community originally built around a British coastal fort where slaves were brought, traded and then sent on ships to the Americas.
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
The French masters had separated slaves who spoke the same African language, so in secret they had fashioned their own common tongue in order to communicate more effectively.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
It often means we lose a lot in the edit, scenes that we’ve slaved over, beautifully shot work, prized moments, but his instincts are always, always right.”
From Washington Times ● Nov. 15, 2019
The famous staircase, the kitchen where Alice merrily slaved away, the bedrooms — all were built on a sound stage, making our memories of the house as real as anything else on the show.
From Salon ● Sep. 7, 2019
This work that my dad slaved over for 10 years now will have a new life.
From New York Times ● Feb. 7, 2014
Her fantastically amazing friends, Eric and Ralph, had slaved away cooking a lovely meal for eight sophisticated guests, who also happened to be wildly interesting and fabulous.
From Slate ● Jan. 31, 2013
All day I slaved away, scrubbing down her porch, sorting buttons, picking dead flies from her screen door.
From "Moon Over Manifest" by Clare Vanderpool
St. Patrick offered evocative details of slaving and missionary work in the lands around the Irish Sea.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026
Chefs rarely get Christmas off - if they are not cooking for customers, they are slaving over a hot stove for family.
From BBC ● Dec. 22, 2022
Hergé, the illustrator and writer of Tintin and another of my great heroes, once drew a picture of himself slaving at the desk, with Tintin holding a whip over him showing a sort of disdain.
From Salon ● Nov. 21, 2022
“I made $5,000, that was huge! My entire income for the whole year before was $9,000 slaving away on drywall jobs.”
From New York Times ● Jun. 10, 2021
Then and there, she decided that those privileges were worth slaving for all her life.
From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
