slip

[ slip ]

/ slɪp /

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See synonyms for: slip / slipped / slipping / slips on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object), slipped or (Archaic) slipt

[slipt]; /slɪpt/; slipped; slip·ping.

to move, flow, pass, or go smoothly or easily; glide; slide: Water slips off a smooth surface.

to slide suddenly or involuntarily; to lose one's foothold, as on a smooth surface: She slipped on the icy ground.

to move, slide, or start gradually from a place or position: His hat had slipped over his eyes.

to slide out of or become disengaged from a fastening, the grasp, etc.: The soap slipped from my hand.

to pass without having been acted upon or used; be lost; get away: to let an opportunity slip.

to pass from the mind, memory, or consciousness.

to elapse or pass quickly or imperceptibly (often followed by away or by): The years slipped by.

to become involved or absorbed easily: to slip into a new way of life.

to move or go quietly, cautiously, or unobtrusively: to slip out of a room.

to put on or take off a garment easily or quickly: She slipped on the new sweater. He slipped off his shoes.

to make a mistake or error: As far as I know, you haven't slipped once.

to fall below a standard or accustomed level, or to decrease in quantity or quality; decline; deteriorate: His work slipped last year.

to be said or revealed inadvertently (usually followed by out): The words just slipped out.

to read, study, consider, etc., without attention: He slipped over the most important part.

Aeronautics. (of an aircraft when excessively banked) to slide sideways, toward the center of the curve described in turning.Compare skid (def. 15).

verb (used with object), slipped or (Archaic) slipt

[slipt]; /slɪpt/; slipped; slip·ping.

to cause to move, pass, go, etc., with a smooth, easy, or sliding motion.

to put, place, pass, insert, or withdraw quickly or stealthily: to slip a letter into a person's hand.

to put on or take off (a garment) easily or quickly: He slipped the shirt over his head.

to let or make (something) slide out of a fastening, the hold, etc.: I slipped the lock, and the door creaked open.

to release from a leash, harness, etc., as a hound or a hawk.

to get away or free oneself from; escape (a pursuer, restraint, leash, etc.): The cow slipped its halter.

to untie or undo (a knot).

Nautical. to let go entirely, as an anchor cable or an anchor.

to pass from or escape (one's memory, attention, knowledge, etc.).

to dislocate; put out of joint or position: I slipped a disk in my back.

to shed or cast: The rattlesnake slipped its skin.

to ignore, pass over, or omit, as in speaking or writing.

to let pass unheeded; neglect or miss.

Boxing. to evade or avoid (a blow) by moving or turning the body quickly: He slipped a right and countered with a hard left.

(of animals) to bring forth (offspring) prematurely.

British. to detach (a railway car) from a moving train as it passes through a station.

noun

an act or instance of slipping.

a sudden losing of one's foothold, as on slippery ground.

a mistake in judgment; blunder.

a mistake or oversight, as in speaking or writing, especially a small one due to carelessness: a minor slip in addition; a slip of the tongue; a slip of the pen.

an error in conduct; indiscretion.

something easily slipped on or off.

a decline or fall in quantity, quality, extent, etc., or from a standard or accustomed level: a slip in prices.

Clothing.

a woman's undergarment, sleeveless and usually having shoulder straps, extending from above the bust down to the hemline of the outer dress.
an underskirt, as a half-slip or petticoat.

a pillowcase.

an inclined plane, sloping to the water, on which vessels are built or repaired.

Nautical. the difference between the speed at which a screw propeller or paddle wheel would move if it were working against a solid and the actual speed at which it advances through the water.

a space between two wharves or in a dock for vessels to lie in.

Electricity. the difference between the synchronous and the operating speeds of a motor.

Machinery.

the difference between output speed and input or theoretical speed in certain fluid or electromagnetic devices, as couplings or motors.
(in pumps) the difference between the actual volume of water or other liquid delivered by a pump during one complete stroke and the theoretical volume as determined by calculation of the displacement.

unintended movement or play between mechanical parts or the like.

Cricket.

the position of a fielder who stands behind and to the offside of the wicketkeeper.
the fielder playing this position.

Geology.

the relative displacement of formerly adjacent points on opposite sides of a fault, measured along the fault plane.
a small fault.

Also called glide .Metallurgy. plastic deformation of one part of a metallic crystal relative to the other part due to shearing action.

Verb Phrases

slip away,

to depart quietly or unobtrusively; steal off.
to recede; slowly vanish: All those facts I had memorized just slipped away.

slip up, to make an error; fail: I slipped up and put the letter in the wrong envelope.

OTHER WORDS FOR slip

1, 2 slither.

11 err, blunder.

35 error, fault.

See synonyms for slip on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

SHALL WE PLAY A "SHALL" VS. "SHOULD" CHALLENGE?

Should you take this quiz on “shall” versus “should”? It should prove to be a quick challenge!

Question 1 of 6

Which form is used to state an obligation or duty someone has?

shall

should

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about slip

give someone the slip, to elude a pursuer; escape: The murderer gave the police the slip.

let slip, to reveal unintentionally: to let slip the truth.

slip a cog. cog¹ (def. 6).

slip between the cracks. crack (def. 53).

slip someone's mind, to be forgotten: I was supposed to phone, but it slipped my mind.

slip something over on, to deceive; defraud; trick.Also slip one over on.

Origin of slip

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English verb slippen, from Middle Dutch slippen; cognate with Old High German slipfen; late Middle English noun slippe, derivative of or akin to the verb; compare Old High German slipf “a sliding, slipping, error”; akin to slipper²

synonym study for slip

1, 2. See slide. 35. See mistake.

OTHER WORDS FROM slip

slipless, adjectiveslip·ping·ly, adverb

Words nearby slip

slink, slink away, slinky, slinter, sliotar, slip, slip a cog, slip carriage, slipcase, slip casting, slipcover

Other definitions for slip (2 of 4)

slip²

[ slip ]

/ slɪp /

noun

a small paper form on which information is noted: a withdrawal slip.

a piece suitable for propagation cut from a plant; scion or cutting.

any long, narrow piece or strip, as of wood, paper, or land.

a young person, especially one of slender form: a mere slip of a girl.

a long seat or narrow pew in a church.

Bookbinding. one of the ends of a band, extending at the sides of a book after sewing.

verb (used with object), slipped, slip·ping.

to take slips or cuttings from (a plant).

to take (a part), as a slip from a plant.

Origin of slip

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English slip(pe) “edge of a garment,” from Middle Dutch, Middle Low German slippe “flap (of a piece of clothing)”

Other definitions for slip (3 of 4)

slip³

[ slip ]

/ slɪp /

noun

Ceramics. a clay solution of creamy consistency for coating or decorating biscuit.

a glass-bearing liquid fired onto steel as a cladding, as in making enamelware.

Origin of slip

First recorded before 1000; Middle English slyppe, Old English slype “semiliquid mass”; cf. slop¹, cowslip

Other definitions for slip (4 of 4)

slip⁴

[ slip ]

/ slɪp /

noun Architecture.

a variant of slype.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use slip in a sentence

The man stuffs the slip in his wallet, where it’s soon forgotten.
Easy interventions like revamping forms help people show up to court|Sujata Gupta|October 8, 2020|Science News
Your stay comes with a slip on Lake Glenville, where you can launch the property’s complimentary canoe, kayak, and SUPs.
Our Favorite Hipcamp in Every State|Alison Van Houten|October 1, 2020|Outside Online
When it was delayed until late August, military officials did not cite a reason for the schedule slip.
Delta IV Heavy rocket delayed again, raising concerns of aging infrastructure|Eric Berger|September 30, 2020|Ars Technica
I’m using an iPhone 11 Pro, but based on the rigidity of the tension on the swivel, I have no doubt that people with larger phones—like the 11 Pro Max—won’t see any slips either.
The Best Phone Mount for Your Car Costs $12|Jakob Schiller|September 20, 2020|Outside Online

There are other drawbacks to this as well—doing burpees and other similar movements on a hard surface can hurt you, not to mention that accumulated sweat on wooden or ceramic floors pose a serious slip hazard.
Working out at home? Here’s how to keep your house from smelling like a gym.|Harry Guinness|September 3, 2020|Popular-Science
Block 3F is slated for release in 2019, but who knows how much that will slip?
New U.S. Stealth Jet Can’t Fire Its Gun Until 2019|Dave Majumdar|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Less than a minute into her big break, Slate let slip a highly audible F-bomb instead of the scripted “freaking.”
The Curious Little Shell That Restarted Jenny Slate’s Career|Luke Hopping|December 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I know that Detroit is losing market share in auto sales, but how did they let the Motown sound slip out of their hands?
The Best Albums of 2014|Ted Gioia|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Both Time and CNN reinstated Zakaria after determining the slip-up was “an isolated incident.”
Can Fareed Zakaria Survive A Plagiarism Firestorm?|Lloyd Grove|November 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
To his fellow survivors and to the audience, this delusion indicates another slip on a downward spiral.
The Walking Dead’s Luke Skywalker: Rick Grimes Is the Perfect Modern-Day Mythical Hero|Regina Lizik|October 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Q was a Queen, who wore a silk slip; R was a Robber, and wanted a whip.
Boys and Girls Bookshelf; a Practical Plan of Character Building, Volume I (of 17)|Various
So my mother begged me to slip into the Rooms, with what was left, and try to get something back.
Rosemary in Search of a Father|C. N. Williamson
What the economist does is to slip out of the difficulty altogether by begging the whole question.
The Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice|Stephen Leacock
Only then did I own that by hook or by crook—and mostly by crook, I was forced to suspect—they had purposely given me the slip.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair
It's easy for a prisoner t' slip a note to a friend that happens t' be mountin' guard.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair

British Dictionary definitions for slip (1 of 3)

slip¹

/ (slɪp) /

verb slips, slipping or slipped

to move or cause to move smoothly and easily

(tr) to place, insert, or convey quickly or stealthily

(tr) to put on or take off easily or quicklyto slip on a sweater

(intr) to lose balance and slide unexpectedlyhe slipped on the ice

to let loose or be let loose

to be released from (something); escape

(tr) to let go (mooring or anchor lines) over the side

(when intr, often foll by from or out of) to pass out of (the mind or memory)

(tr) to overlook, neglect, or missto slip an opportunity

(intr) to move or pass swiftly or unperceivedto slip quietly out of the room

(intr sometimes foll by up) to make a mistake

Also: sideslip to cause (an aircraft) to slide sideways or (of an aircraft) to slide sideways

(intr) to decline in health, mental ability, etc

(intr) (of an intervertebral disc) to become displaced from the normal position

(tr) to dislocate (a bone)

(of animals) to give birth to (offspring) prematurely

(tr) to pass (a stitch) from one needle to another without knitting it

(tr) to operate (the clutch of a motor vehicle) so that it partially disengages
(intr) (of the clutch of a motor vehicle) to fail to engage, esp as a result of wear

let slip

to allow to escape
to say unintentionally

slip one over on slang to hoodwink or trick

noun

the act or an instance of slipping

a mistake or oversighta slip of the pen

a moral lapse or failing

a woman's sleeveless undergarment, worn as a lining for and to give support to a dress

US and Canadian a narrow space between two piers in which vessels may dock

See slipway

a kind of dog lead that allows for the quick release of the dog

a small block of hard steel of known thickness used for measurement, usually forming one of a set

the ratio between output speed and input speed of a transmission device when subtracted from unity, esp of a drive belt or clutch that is not transmitting full power

cricket

the position of the fielder who stands a little way behind and to the offside of the wicketkeeper
the fielder himself

the relative movement of rocks along a fault plane

a landslide, esp one blocking a road or railway line

metallurgy crystallog the deformation of a metallic crystal caused when one part glides over another part along a plane

the deviation of a propeller from its helical path through a fluid, expressed as the difference between its actual forward motion and its theoretical forward motion in one revolution

another name for sideslip (def. 1)

give someone the slip to elude or escape from someone

Derived forms of slip

slipless, adjective

Word Origin for slip

C13: from Middle Low German or Dutch slippen

British Dictionary definitions for slip (2 of 3)

slip²

/ (slɪp) /

noun

a narrow piece; strip

a small piece of papera receipt slip

a part of a plant that, when detached from the parent, will grow into a new plant; cutting; scion

a young slender persona slip of a child

dialect a young pig

printing

a long galley
a less common name for a galley proof

mainly US a pew or similar long narrow seat

a small piece of abrasive material of tapering section used in honing

verb slips, slipping or slipped

(tr) to detach (portions of stem, etc) from (a plant) for propagation

Word Origin for slip

C15: probably from Middle Low German, Middle Dutch slippe to cut, strip

British Dictionary definitions for slip (3 of 3)

slip³

/ (slɪp) /

noun

clay mixed with water to a creamy consistency, used for decorating or patching a ceramic piece

Word Origin for slip

Old English slyppe slime; related to Norwegian slipa slime on fish; see slop 1

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with slip

slip

In addition to the idioms beginning with slip

slip a cog
slip of the lip
slip one's mind
slip out
slip something over on
slip through one's fingers
slip up

also see:

give the slip
let slip

slip

OTHER WORDS FOR slip

Idioms about slip

Origin of slip

synonym study for slip

OTHER WORDS FROM slip

Words nearby slip

Other definitions for slip (2 of 4)

Origin of slip

Other definitions for slip (3 of 4)

Origin of slip

Other definitions for slip (4 of 4)

Words related to slip

How to use slip in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for slip (1 of 3)

Derived forms of slip

Word Origin for slip

British Dictionary definitions for slip (2 of 3)

Word Origin for slip

British Dictionary definitions for slip (3 of 3)

Word Origin for slip

Other Idioms and Phrases with slip