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Synonyms

slip

1 American  
[slip] / slɪp /

verb (used without object)

slipped, slipt, slipped, slipping
  1. to move, flow, pass, or go smoothly or easily; glide; slide.

    Water slips off a smooth surface.

    Synonyms:
    slither
  2. to slide suddenly or involuntarily; to lose one's foothold, as on a smooth surface.

    She slipped on the icy ground.

    Synonyms:
    slither
  3. to move, slide, or start gradually from a place or position.

    His hat had slipped over his eyes.

  4. to slide out of or become disengaged from a fastening, the grasp, etc..

    The soap slipped from my hand.

  5. to pass without having been acted upon or used; be lost; get away.

    to let an opportunity slip.

  6. to pass from the mind, memory, or consciousness.

  7. to elapse or pass quickly or imperceptibly (often followed by away orby ).

    The years slipped by.

  8. to become involved or absorbed easily.

    to slip into a new way of life.

  9. to move or go quietly, cautiously, or unobtrusively.

    to slip out of a room.

  10. to put on or take off a garment easily or quickly: He slipped off his shoes.

    She slipped on the new sweater.

    He slipped off his shoes.

  11. to make a mistake or error.

    As far as I know, you haven't slipped once.

    Synonyms:
    blunder, err
  12. to fall below a standard or accustomed level, or to decrease in quantity or quality; decline; deteriorate.

    His work slipped last year.

  13. to be said or revealed inadvertently (usually followed byout ).

    The words just slipped out.

  14. to read, study, consider, etc., without attention.

    He slipped over the most important part.

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


verb (used with object)

slipped, slipt, slipped, slipping
  1. to cause to move, pass, go, etc., with a smooth, easy, or sliding motion.

  2. to put, place, pass, insert, or withdraw quickly or stealthily.

    to slip a letter into a person's hand.

  3. to put on or take off (a garment) easily or quickly.

    He slipped the shirt over his head.

  4. to let or make (something) slide out of a fastening, the hold, etc..

    I slipped the lock, and the door creaked open.

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

  6. to get away or free oneself from; escape (a pursuer, restraint, leash, etc.).

    The cow slipped its halter.

  7. to untie or undo (a knot).

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

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

  10. to dislocate; put out of joint or position.

    I slipped a disk in my back.

  11. to shed or cast.

    The rattlesnake slipped its skin.

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

  13. to let pass unheeded; neglect or miss.

  14. Boxing. to evade or avoid (a blow) by moving or turning the body quickly.

    He slipped a right and countered with a hard left.

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

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

noun

  1. an act or instance of slipping.

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

  3. a mistake in judgment; blunder.

  4. 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.

    Synonyms:
    fault, error
  5. an error in conduct; indiscretion.

  6. something easily slipped on or off.

  7. a decline or fall in quantity, quality, extent, etc., or from a standard or accustomed level.

    a slip in prices.

  8. Clothing.

    1. a woman's undergarment, sleeveless and usually having shoulder straps, extending from above the bust down to the hemline of the outer dress.

    2. an underskirt, as a half-slip or petticoat.

  9. a pillowcase.

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

  11. 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.

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

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

  14. Machinery.

    1. the difference between output speed and input or theoretical speed in certain fluid or electromagnetic devices, as couplings or motors.

    2. (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.

  15. unintended movement or play between mechanical parts or the like.

  16. Cricket.

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

    2. the fielder playing this position.

  17. Geology.

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

    2. a small fault.

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

verb phrase

  1. slip away

    1. to depart quietly or unobtrusively; steal off.

    2. to recede; slowly vanish.

      All those facts I had memorized just slipped away.

  2. slip up to make an error; fail.

    I slipped up and put the letter in the wrong envelope.

idioms

  1. slip a cog. cog.

  2. let slip, to reveal unintentionally.

    to let slip the truth.

  3. give someone the slip, to elude a pursuer; escape.

    The murderer gave the police the slip.

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

  5. slip someone's mind, to be forgotten.

    I was supposed to phone, but it slipped my mind.

  6. slip between the cracks. crack.

slip 2 American  
[slip] / slɪp /

noun

  1. a small paper form on which information is noted.

    a withdrawal slip.

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

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

  4. a young person, especially one of slender form.

    a mere slip of a girl.

  5. a long seat or narrow pew in a church.

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


verb (used with object)

slipped, slipping
  1. to take slips or cuttings from (a plant).

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

slip 3 American  
[slip] / slɪp /

noun

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

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


slip 4 American  
[slip] / slɪp /

noun

Architecture.
  1. a variant of slype.


slip 1 British  
/ slɪp /

verb

  1. to move or cause to move smoothly and easily

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

  3. (tr) to put on or take off easily or quickly

    to slip on a sweater

  4. (intr) to lose balance and slide unexpectedly

    he slipped on the ice

  5. to let loose or be let loose

  6. to be released from (something); escape

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

  8. to pass out of (the mind or memory)

  9. (tr) to overlook, neglect, or miss

    to slip an opportunity

  10. (intr) to move or pass swiftly or unperceived

    to slip quietly out of the room

  11. to make a mistake

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

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

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

  15. (tr) to dislocate (a bone)

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

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

    1. (tr) to operate (the clutch of a motor vehicle) so that it partially disengages

    2. (intr) (of the clutch of a motor vehicle) to fail to engage, esp as a result of wear

    1. to allow to escape

    2. to say unintentionally

  18. slang to hoodwink or trick

"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

noun

  1. the act or an instance of slipping

  2. a mistake or oversight

    a slip of the pen

  3. a moral lapse or failing

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

  5. a narrow space between two piers in which vessels may dock

  6. See slipway

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

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

  9. 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

  10. cricket

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

    2. the fielder himself

  11. the relative movement of rocks along a fault plane

  12. a landslide, esp one blocking a road or railway line

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

  14. 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

  15. another name for sideslip

  16. to elude or escape from someone

"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
slip 2 British  
/ slɪp /

noun

  1. a narrow piece; strip

  2. a small piece of paper

    a receipt slip

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

  4. a young slender person

    a slip of a child

  5. dialect a young pig

  6. printing

    1. a long galley

    2. a less common name for a galley proof

  7. a pew or similar long narrow seat

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

"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

verb

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

"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
slip 3 British  
/ slɪp /

noun

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

"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

slip More Idioms  

    More idioms and phrases containing slip


Synonym Usage

See slide. See mistake.

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of slip1

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 slipper 2

Origin of slip2

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)”

Origin of slip3

First recorded before 1000; Middle English slyppe, Old English slype “semiliquid mass”; cf. slop 1, cowslip, oxlip

Explanation

When you slip, you slide or skid unintentionally. A slip is also a kind of underwear you wear under a skirt. A Freudian slip, on the other hand, is a slip of the tongue. You can slip on a damp or icy surface, and you can also slip by making a mistake or getting worse, as in "If the company doesn't sell more candy, their profits will slip." It also means "move in a sneaky or quiet way," so you might slip out of a birthday party before cake is served. As a noun, a slip can be a mistake, a fall, a piece of something (especially paper), or a skirt-like type of underwear.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing slip

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:

But to further rise from these levels over the long term, Jersey Mike’s has to pull off a rare feat in the franchise business: adding thousands of stores without letting the freshness and quality slip.

From The Wall Street Journal Sep. 1, 2026

Root was missed at third slip by Imam-ul-Haq on one, though the skipper was out for four.

From BBC Aug. 27, 2026

Rizwan's miss was the most costly, symptomatic of the keeper and slip fielders appearing to stand too deep for most of the day with a number of edges not carrying through.

From BBC Aug. 27, 2026

She once filmed herself plating an elaborate dessert—a petit gâteau in the shape of a Christmas ornament from the Miami bakery Bachour—only to have it slip off her spatula and break.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 23, 2026

Just before Grandpa handed me Mama’s groceries, I saw him slip something into the sack.

From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls

Broadcom shares slipped 1.9% in premarket trade after the chip designer’s earnings fell short of investors’ expectations.

From The Wall Street Journal Sep. 3, 2026

Van Persie went on to score 26 times as United reclaimed the throne in Ferguson's final season - the club's 20th title - while Arsenal slipped to a distant fourth.

From BBC Sep. 3, 2026

But her composure slipped during the song Nowhere, Nobody, as she sang the line: "Hard to believe in a perfect ending."

From BBC Sep. 1, 2026

“There’s a car with a Qatari plate on it,” he said, pointing to a silver Tesla with a yellow ticket slipped under its right wiper.

From The Wall Street Journal Sep. 1, 2026

My mother slipped out from behind the facade of Commander Fitz for a second to shoot me a disapproving glance, and I immediately unfolded them and placed them on the chair’s armrests.

From "Glitch" by Laura Martin

"I love this character so much...it's like slipping into a warm bath, or putting on an old pair of shoes," he said.

From BBC Aug. 29, 2026

He told NPR that returning to play Optimus Prime in these films was “like slipping into an old pair of shoes that you hid in the back of your closet.”

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 27, 2026

Micron stock was slipping Monday as another Chinese memory-chip market prepares for an initial public offering.

From Barron's Aug. 24, 2026

Fast forward to today and Chicago is slipping back in the wrong direction.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 24, 2026

The man’s voice startled Penelope, and she found herself slipping the guidebook out of sight beneath her cloak.

From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood

When we slipt, you would lift us up, and establish us by your counsels; we should march with sure steps in the rough paths of virtue.

From Letters of Abelard and Heloise To which is prefix?d a particular account of their lives, amours, and misfortunes by Pierre Bayle

The wind slipt over the hill And down the valley.

From Song-Surf by Cale Young Rice

As soon as I was free, Leuwenhock lost all power over my people, who immediately slipt away, and in mockery left the tyrant peppercorns, fruitstones, and such like, in their clothes.

From Specimens of German Romance; Vol. II. Master Flea Selected and Translated from Various Authors by Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann

Then she flew from the ball, and put on Her Catskin robe again; And slipt in unseen by the cook, Who little thought where she had been.

From The Nursery Rhymes of England by Various

With this, the old man quietly slipt out of the room, as if he were afraid the slightest noise might awaken the departed knight.

From The Banished A Swabian Historical Tale. In Three Volumes. by Wilhelm Hauff

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