slither

American  

[slith-er] / ˈslɪð ər /

verb (used without object)

1. to slide down or along a surface, especially unsteadily, from side to side, or with some friction or noise.

   The box slithered down the chute.

2. to go or walk with a sliding motion.

   The snake slithered across the path.

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verb (used with object)

1. to cause to slither or slide.

noun

1. a slithering movement; slide.

slither British  

/ ˈslɪðə /

verb

1. to move or slide or cause to move or slide unsteadily, as on a slippery surface

2. (intr) to travel with a sliding motion

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noun

1. a slithering motion

Other Word Forms

• slithery adjective

Etymology

Origin of slither

1150–1200; Middle English slitheren, variant of sliddren, Old English slid ( e ) rian, frequentative of slīdan to slide; -er ⁶

Example Sentences

But she clipped the wall of the halfpipe halfway down the course and slithered to the base, losing a ski.

From Barron's

Even the opening credits, some written in slithering hair, seem to tremble out of either fear or ecstasy.

From Los Angeles Times

A slithering black shape was gaining on them from the bottom.

From Literature

You slither out onto its snuggly warm blackness, and pretty soon you get so cozy and content lying there that you fall asleep, stretched out and snoring, even.

From Literature

Videos circulated online showing a snake handler removing one of the long black snakes that had slithered into the building - with onlookers screaming.

From BBC

Related Words

• crawl
• glide
• skid
• slink
• sneak
• wriggle