slice

[slahys]

noun

1. a thin, flat piece cut from something.

   a slice of bread.

2. a part, portion, or share.

   a slice of land.

3. any of various implements with a thin, broad blade or part, as for turning food in a frying pan, serving fish at the table, or taking up printing ink; spatula.

4. Sports.

   1. the path described by a ball, as in baseball or golf, that curves in a direction corresponding to the side from which it was struck.

   2. a ball describing such a path.

5. Tennis.,  a stroke executed by hitting down on the ball with an underhand motion and thus creating backspin.

verb (used with object)

sliced, slicing 

1. to cut into slices; divide into parts.

2. to cut through or cleave with or as if with a knife.

   The ship sliced the sea.

3. to cut off or remove as a slice or slices (sometimes followed by off, away, from, etc.).

4. to remove by means of a slice, slice bar, or similar implement.

5. Sports.,  to hit (a ball) so as to result in a slice.

verb (used without object)

sliced, slicing 

1. to slice something.

2. to admit of being sliced.

3. Sports.

   1. (of a player) to slice the ball.

   2. (of a ball) to describe a slice in flight.

slice

/ slaɪs /

noun

1. a thin flat piece cut from something having bulk

   a slice of pork

2. a share or portion

   a slice of the company's revenue

3. any of various utensils having a broad flat blade and resembling a spatula

4. 1. the flight of a ball that travels obliquely because it has been struck off centre

   2. the action of hitting such a shot

   3. the shot so hit

verb

1. to divide or cut (something) into parts or slices

2. to cut in a clean and effortless manner

3. to move or go (through something) like a knife

   the ship sliced through the water

4. to cut or be cut (from) a larger piece

5. (tr) to remove by use of a slicing implement

6. to hit (a ball) with a slice

7. (tr) rowing to put the blade of the oar into (the water) slantwise

Other Word Forms

• sliceable adjective
• slicingly adverb
• preslice verb (used with object)
• unsliced adjective
• slicer noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of slice¹

1300–50; (noun) Middle English s ( c ) lice < Old French esclice, noun derivative of esclicer to split up < Frankish *slitjan, akin to Old English slītan, Old Norse slīta, Dutch slījten ( slit ); (v.) late Middle English sklicen < Old French esclicer

Word History and Origins

Origin of slice¹

C14: from Old French esclice a piece split off, from esclicier to splinter

Idioms and Phrases

In addition to the subsequent idiom beginning with slice, also see greatest thing since sliced bread; no matter how you slice it.

Example Sentences

The dizzying mix of slices, drop shots, and wild angles, backed up by booming groundstrokes, gave Alcaraz a completeness that Sinner struggled to cope with as he racked up errors.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

With Stretch Pizza, Dufresne began slinging slices and pies in Manhattan’s Flatiron neighborhood in 2023 and has since expanded to two more locations.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Americans are lining up as top chefs around the country raise the game of the humble slice shop.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

It’s tense, but slicing through the stress is the fact that we are here to play, to interact and to participate.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

I kept this a snacking cake — single-layered, baked in a 9×13-inch pan, so it’s easy to slice, serve and eat.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• carve 
• cleave 
• divide 
• hack 
• sever 
• shave 
• shred 
• slash 
• slit 
• split 
• strip