SLAP-BANG Slap-bang (slap'bang), adv. [Said to be imitative of the discharge of a gun, from the stroke of the ball being heard before the report reaches the ear.] Violently; suddenly; in a noisy or outrageous manner; dashingly. [Slang.] Slap-bang (slap bang), a. Violent; dashing. Slap-dash (slap'dash), adv. (Colloq.] 1. All at once; slap-2 In a careless, rash manner; at random. Slap-dash (slap'dash), n. A provincial term more commonly called by builders roughcasting. It is a composition of lime and coarse sand, reduced to a liquid form, and applied to the exterior of walls as a preservative. Slap-dash (slap'dash), v. t. 1. To do in a rough or careless manner.-2. To rougheast a wall with mortar. Slape (slap), a. [Icel. sleipr, slippery.] Slippery; smooth; hence, crafty; hypocritical [Provincial English.]-Slape ale, plain ale, as opposed to medicated or mixed ale. -Slape face, a soft-spoken, crafty hypocrite. Halliwell. Slap-jack (alap'jak), n. Same as Flap-jack. [American.] Slapper, Slapping (slap'èr, slap'ing), a. Very large; big: great. [Vulgar.] Slapper (slap'èr), n. 1. One who or that which slaps.-2. A person or thing of large size; a whopper. [Vulgar.] Slap-up (slap'up), a. Excellent; first-rate. Sinp-up hotel this seems, sir.' Mrs. H. Wood. [Slang.] Slash (slash), vt. [Perhaps an imitative word, or from lash with prefixed 8.] 1. To cut by striking violently and at random. 2. To cut with long incisions; to slit; as, to slash a garment.-3. To lash. [Rare.] Daniel, a sprightly swain that used to slash The vigorous steeds that drew his lord's calash, Dr. W. King. 4. To cause to make a sharp sound; to crack or snap, as a whip. She slashed a whip she had in her hand; the cracks thereof were loud and dreadful. Dr. H. More. Slash (slash), vi. 1. To strike violently and at random with an edged instrument; to lay about one with blows. 'Hewing and slashing at their idle shades.' Spenser.-2. To cut through rapidly. The Sybarite slashed through the waves like a knife through cream-cheese. Hannay. Slash (slash), n. 1. A long cut; a cut made at random. Cuts and slashes that had drawn blood." Clarendon.-2. A large slit in the thighs and arms of old dresses, such as those of Queen Elizabeth's days, made to show a rich coloured lining through the openings. Slashed (slasht), p. and a. 1. Cut with a slash or slashes; deeply gashed.-2. Having artificial slashes or long narrow openings, as a sleeve, &c. Sir W. Scott.-3. In bot. applied to leaves divided into many segments: laciniate; multifid. -4. In her. the term employed when the openings or gashings in the sleeves are to be described as filled with a puffing of another tincture. Slashing (slash'ing), p. and a. 1. Striking violently and cutting at random.-2. Cutting up; sarcastic; severe. [Literary slang.] He was concocting, you could not term it compos ing, an article, a very slashing article, which was to prove, &c. Disraeli. 3 Very large; big; great; slapping. A slashing fortune.' Dickens. [Vulgar.] Slashy (slash'i), a. Slushy. [Local.] Slat (slat), [Perhaps akin to or a form of loat] A narrow piece of timber used to fasten together larger pieces or in various situations; a long narrow slip of wood, as in & venetian blind. Slat (slat), v. t. [Icel. sletta, to strike, to slap In sense 2 perhaps rather akin to te] 1. To beat; to strike; to slap; to throw down violently or carelessly. 2. To split; to crack. [Provincial English.]— 3 To set on; to incite. [Provincial English.] Slatch (slach), n. [A softened form of slack.j Saut (a) the period of a transitory breeze. (b) An interval of fair weather. (c) The slack of a rope. Slate (lat), R. [O. E and Sc. sclate, 0. Fr. cat, Mod. Fréclat, a splinter, from esclater (Md. Fr. éclater), to shiver or fly in splinters, from OH G. skle izan, to break, G. schleissen, to split; E to slit.] 1. A name common to such rocks as are capable of being split into an indefinite number of thin lamina in accordance with the planes of cleavage, often 101 at right angles to the planes of true strata or layers of deposition. True slate is a very compact rock, little liable to be acted upon by atmospheric agencies, and chiefly obtained from paleozoic strata. It is commonly of a bluish or greenish colour, with a silky lustre. It usually consists of silica, alumina, oxide of iron, manganese, potash, carbon, and water. It is opaque, may be scratched by the knife, and fuses into a blackish slag. -Adhesive slate, a greenishgray variety of slate, which absorbs water rapidly and adheres to the tongue.-Aluminous slate contains alumina, and is used in the manufacture of alum.-Argillaceous slate, clay-slate (which see).-Bituminous slate, a soft species, impregnated with bitumen-Drawing slate. Same as Black-chalk (which see).-Hone or whet slate has much silica in its composition, and is used for hones.-Hornblende and mica slate contain the minerals named. - Polishing slate, a finegrained slate of a yellow colour, found in Bohemia.-2. A piece of smooth argillaceous stone, used for covering buildings. Clayslate or argillite is most commonly used for roofing. It is a simple schistose mass of a bluish gray or grayish black colour, of various shades. It is extensively distributed in Great Britain, being found in Wales, Cornwall, the Lake district, Argyleshire, Perthshire, and other localities, in geological horizons not higher than the carboniferous, and mainly Cambrian and Silurian. Roofing slates are of various sizes, and are denominated imperials, queens, princesses, duchesses, countesses, ladies, &c.-3. A tablet for writing upon, formed of slate, or of an imitation of slate.-4. A lamina; a thin plate; a flake. Holland.-5. In the United States, a list of candidates prepared for nomination or for election; a preliminary list of candidates which is liable to revision. Slate (slat), v.t. pret. & pp. slated; ppr. slating. To cover with slate or plates of stone; as, to slate a roof. Slate (slat), v.t. [Same as Slat.] 1. To set a dog loose at; to bait. [Provincial English.] 2. To hold up to ridicule; to criticise trenchantly; also, to reprimand severely; as, the work was slated in the reviews. [Colloq.] Slate-axe (slāt'aks), n. A mattock with an axe-end, used in slating. Slate-clay (slát ́klá), n. shale. Another name for Slate-gray (slat'gra), a. Gray, with a bluish tinge. Slate-pencil (slat'pen-sil), n. A pencilshaped bit of soft slate, used for writing or figuring on framed pieces of slate in schools, &c. Slater (slät'èr), n. 1. One who manufactures slates; one who lays slates, or whose occupation is to slate buildings.-2. A popular name given to small crustaceous animals of the order Isopoda; as, the water slaters (Asellus), the rock slaters (Ligia), the box slaters (Idothea), and the cheliferous slaters (Tanais). Slate-spar (slāt'spär), n. A slaty form of calcareous spar; shiver-spar. Slatiness (slat'i-nes), n. The quality of being slaty; slaty character. Slating (slat'ing), n. 1. The operation of covering roofs with slates.-2. The cover thus put on. 3. Slates taken collectively; the material for slating; as, the whole slating of a house. 'A Slating (slät'ing), n. An unsparing criticism; a severe reprimand. [Colloq.] Slatter (slat'ter), v.i. [Allied to Dan. slatte, a slut or slattern, slat, slatten, loose, flabby; G. schlottern, to hang loosely; schlotterig, negligent; D. slodderen, to hang and flap; slodde, a slut. See SLUT.] 1. To be careless of dress and dirty; to be slovenly. dirty slattering woman.' Ray.-2. Not to make a proper and due use of anything; to waste; to spill carelessly. Halliwell. Slattern (slat'tèrn), n. [See SLATTER. The n perhaps represents the old fem. term. -en, as in vixen.] A woman who is negligent of her dress, or who suffers her clothes and furniture to be in disorder; one who is not neat and nice; a slut. We may always observe, that a gossip in politics is a slattern in her family. Addison. Slattern (slat'tèrn), v.t. To consume carelessly or wastefully; to waste: with away. [Rare.] All that I desire is, that you will never slattern away one minute in idleness. Chesterfield. Slattern (slat'tèrn), a. Resembling a slat SLAVE tern; slovenly; slatternly. air.' Gay. "The slattern Slatternliness (slat'tern-li-nes), n. State of being slatternly. Slatternly (slat'térn-li), adv. In a slovenly way; awkwardly. Chesterfield. Slatternly (slat'tèrn-li), a. Pertaining to a slattern; having the habits of a slattern; sluttish. A very slatternly, dirty, but at the same time very genteel French maid is appropriated to the use of my daughter. Chesterfield. Slattery (slat'er-i), a. Wet; dirty. [Provincial English.] Slaty (slat'i), a. Resembling slate; having the nature or properties of slate; as, a slaty colour or texture; a slaty feel.-Slaty cleavage, cleavage, as of rocks, into thin plates or lamina, like those of slate: applied especially to those cases in which the planes of cleavage are often oblique to the true stratification, and perfectly symmetrical and parallel even when the strata are contorted. -Slaty gneiss, a variety of gneiss in which the scales of mica or crystals of hornblende, which are usually minute, form thin laminæ, rendering the rock easily cleavable. Slaughter (slater), n. [From the stem of slay; A. Sax. slagan, sleán, to slay; Icel. slátr, raw flesh, slátra, to slaughter. SLAY.] The act of slaying or killing: (a) applied to men, a violent putting to death; murder; great destruction of life by violent means; massacre; carnage; as, the slaughter of men in battle. Priam's slaughter.' Shak. Great the slaughter is Shak. See Here made by the Roman. (b) Applied to beasts, butchery; a killing of oxen or other beasts for market.-SYN. Carnage, massacre, butchery, murder, havoc. Slaughter (sla'ter), v. t. 1. To kill; to slay; to murder; often to kill in masses; to massacre; to make great destruction of life; as, to slaughter men in battle. 'The slaughter'd husband.' Shak.-2. To butcher; to kill for the market, as beasts. Slaughterer (sla'tér-ér), n. A person employed in slaughtering; a butcher. Thou dost then wrong me as that slaughterer doth, Which giveth many wounds when one will kill, Shak. 1. A Slaughter-house (sla'ter-hous), n. house where beasts are butchered for the market; an abbatoir.-2. Fig. the scene of a great destruction of human life; the scene of a massacre. Keep him from the lust of blood That makes a steaming slaughter-house of Rome. Tennyson. Slaughterman (sla'tèr-man), n. One employed in killing; a slayer; a destroyer. Herod's bloody-hunting slaughtermen.' Shak Slaughterous (sla'tér-us), a. Bent on killing; destructive; murderous. My slaugh terous thoughts.' Shak. Slaughterously (sla'tèr-us-li), adv. Destructively; murderously. Slav (slav), n. One of a race of peoples widely spread over Eastern Europe; a Slavonian or Sclavonian. The Slavic settlements occupy nearly the whole of Eastern Europe from the Elbe to the Ural, and from the Arctic Ocean to the Adriatic. The original names of the tribes appear to have been Wends or Winds and Serbs. The group is divided into two sections-the eastern and western. The former section comprises the Russians, Bulgarians, Illyrians (Serbs, Croats, Winds); the latter the Poles, Silesians, and Pomeranians, the Bohemians or Czechs (including the Moravians), and the Polabians, comprehending the Slavic tribes of North Germany. The Scythians and Sarmatians of ancient writers seem to have been Slavs. Written also Sclav, Sclave, Slave. Slave (slav), n. [Fr. esclave, G. sclave, from L. Sclavus, Slavus, a Sclavonian, from which race the German slaves were almost exclusively drawn] 1. A bond-servant; a person who is wholly subject to the will of another; one who has no will of his own, but whose person and services are wholly under the control of another. In the early state of the world prisoners of war were usually considered and treated as slaves. The slaves of modern times are more generally purchased like horses and oxen. See SLAVERY. 2. One who has lost the power of resistance, or one who surrenders himself to any power whatever; as, a slave to passion, to lust, to ambition. Give me that man SLAVE 3. A mean person; one in the lowest state of life; an abject wretch. 'An unmannerly slave that will thrust himself into secrets." Shak.-4. A drudge; one who labours like a slave. 5. A Slav; a Slavonian.-Slave is used in the formation of numerous compounds, many of which are self-explanatory; as, slave-breeder, slave-catcher, slave-dealer, slave-market, slave-merchant, slave-owner, and the like. SYN. Bond-servant, bondman, bond-slave, captive, vassal, dependant, drudge. Slave (slav), v.i. pret. & pp. slaved; ppr. slaving. To drudge; to toil; to labour as a slave. Slavet (slav), v. t. To enslave. 'But will you slave me to your tyranny.' Beau. & Fl. Slave-born (slav'born), a. Born in slavery. Slave-coffe (slav'kof-1), n. A band of slaves for sale; a coffle. Slave-driver (slav'driv-ér), n. An overseer of slaves at their work; hence, a severe or cruel master. Slave-fork (slav'fork), n. A branch of a tree of considerable thickness, 4 or 5 feet long, and forking at the end into two prongs, employed to inclose the necks of slaves when on their march from the interior of Slaves coupled by Slave-forks. Africa to the coast to prevent their running away. The neck of the slave is fitted into the cleft and secured there by lashings passing from one extremity of each prong to the other, so that the heavy stick hangs down, or (as is usually the case) is connected with the fork of another slave. Slave-grown (slav'grön), a. Grown upon land cultivated by slaves; produced by slave-labour. Slave grown will exchange for non-slave-grown commodities in a less ratio than that of the quantity of labour required for their production. F. S. Mill. Slaveholder (slav'hōld-ér), n. One who owns slaves. Slaveholding (slav'höld-ing), a. Holding or possessing persons in slavery. The slaveholding states.' Webster. Slavelike (slav'lik), a. Like or becoming a slave. "This slave-like habit.' Shak. Slaver (sla'ver), n. 1. A person engaged in the slave-trade; a slave-trader. The slaver's hand was on the latch, Longfellow. 2. A vessel engaged in the slave-trade. Slaver (slav'èr), v.i. [Icel. slafr, slaver, slafra, to slaver; akin to slabber, slobber.] 1. To suffer the spittle to issue from the mouth.-2. To be besmeared with saliva. Shak. Slaver (slav'èr), v. t. To smear with saliva issuing from the mouth; to defile with drivel. His gown is slaver'd o'er.' Dryden. Slaver (slav'er), n. Saliva drivelling from the mouth; drivel. Of all mad creatures, if the learned are right, It is the slaver kills, and not the bite. Pope. Slaverer (slav'èr-ér), n. One who slavers; a driveller; an idiot. Slaveringly (slav'er-ing-li), adv. With slaver or drivel. Slavery (sla'ver-i), n. [See SLAVE] 1. The state or condition of a slave; bondage; the state of entire subjection of one person to the will of another. Slavery is the obligation to labour for the benefit of the master, without the contract or consent of the servant; or it is the establishment of a right which gives one person such a power over another as to make him absolute master of the other's life and property. But the condition of a slave is susceptible of innumer 102 able modifications, and there are few nations, whether of ancient or modern times, among whom slavery has been long established, that have not enacted certain laws for limiting the power of a master over his slave. To live in slavery to the nobility.' Shak. 'Taken by the insolent foe and sold to slavery.' Shak.-2. The keeping or holding of slaves; as, the Southern States of America refused to give up slavery.-3. The offices of a slave; exhausting and mean labour; drudgery.-SYN. Bondage, servitude, enthralment, enslavement, captivity, bondservice, vassalage. Slave-ship (slav'ship), n. A vessel employed in the slave-trade; a slaver. Slave-trade (slav'trad), n. The business or trade of purchasing men and women, transporting them to a distant country, and selling them for slaves. Slave-trader (slav'träd-ér), n. One who trades in slaves; a slaver. Slavey (sla'vi), n. A servant-maid. [Colloq. and ludicrous.] 'I called in Goswell Street,' resumed Jackson, and hearing that you were here from the slavey, took a coach and came on.' Dickens. Slavic (slav'ik), a. and n. Same as Slavonic.Church Slavic, a name given to an ancient dialect of Bulgarian from its still being used as the sacred language of the Greek Church. Called also Old Bulgarian. See under BULGARIAN. Slavish (slav'ish), a. 1. Pertaining to slaves; servile; mean; base; such as becomes a slave; as, a slavish dependence on the great. Fame, like a wayward girl, will still be coy To those who woo her with too slavish knees. Keats. 2. Servile; laborious; consisting in drudgery; as, a slavish life. Like your asses and your dogs and mules, You use in abject and in slavish parts. Shak. Slavishly (slav'ish-li), adv. In a slavish manner; servilely; meanly; basely. Slavishness (slav'ish-nes), n. The state or quality of being slavish; servility; mean ness. Slavocracy (sla-vok'ra-si), n. [Slave, and -ocracy, as in mobocracy.] A collective name for slave-owners; persons exercising political power for the maintenance of slavery. Slavonic, Slavonian (sla-von'ik, sla-võ'nian), a. Pertaining to the Slavs or Slavonians, or to their language. See SLAV. The language of Slavonic (sla-von'ik), n. the Slavs; a name given to a family of Aryan tongues spoken by the Slaves or Slavs. The Slavonic family of tongues is divided into two branches, the eastern and western-the eastern comprehending Russian, Polish, Bohemian, Servian, Bulgarian; the western, Lithuanian, Lettish, and the extinct old Prussian. Slaw (sla), n. [D. sla, slaa, contr. from salade, a salad. See SALAD.] Sliced cabbage, served cooked or uncooked as a salad. Slawe,t pp. of sle (slay). Slain. Chaucer. Slawm (slam), n. In mining, a point in the stone or ore filled with soft clay. Weale. Slay (sla), v. t. pret. slew; pp. slain; ppr. slaying. [A. Sax. slahan, sleahan, slagan, or contr. slean, to strike, to beat, to slay; D. slaan, Icel. slá, to smite, to strike, to slay; Goth. slahan, to strike through, to kill; G. schlagen, to beat, to strike. From this stem comes sledge (-hammer), and probably slight.] 1. To put to death by a weapon or in any violent or sudden manner; to kill. Hast thou slain Tybalt; wilt thou slay thyself? But slay, and slay, and slay. Macaulay. [In the latter extract used without an object.]-2. To put an end to; to destroy; to ruin. Shak. Sad souls are slain in merry company. For this, being smelt, with that part cheers each part; Being tasted, slays all senses with the heart. Shak. SYN. To kill, murder, assassinate, slaughter, butcher. Slay (sla), n. A weaver's reed; a sley. Slayer (sla'èr), n. One that slays; a killer; a murderer; an assassin; a destroyer of life. Slazy (slá'zi), a. Same as Sleazy. Sle, Slee,tv.t. To slay; to kill. Chaucer. Sleave (slěv), n. [Origin uncertain; comp. G. schleife, a loop, a knot.] Soft floss or unspun silk used for weaving. 'Sleep that knits up the ravell'd sleave of care.' Shak. Sleave (slev), v.t. pret. & pp. sleaved; ppr. sleaving. To separate or divide, as a collection of threads: a word used by weavers. SLEEK Sleaved (slēvd), a. Raw; not spun or wrought. Soft floss or un Sleave-silk (slev'silk), n. spun silk. 'Immaterial skein of sleave-silk." Shak. Sleaziness (slē'zi-nes), n. The state or quality of being sleazy. Sleazy (slē'zi), a. [G. schleiszig, schlissig, worn out, thread-bare, from schleiszen, to slit, split, decay.] Thin; flimsy; wanting firmness of texture or substance; as, sleazy silk or muslin. I cannot well away with such sleazy stuff, with such cobweb compositions. Howell. Sled (sled), n. [D. slede, sleede, a sledge, a sled, a dray; Dan. slæde, Icel. sledi; from stem of slide. Sledge, sleigh are closely akin.] A sledge. Upon an ivory sled Thou shalt be drawn among the frozen poles. Marlowe. The word is now little used in England. In America the name is generally applied to a carriage or vehicle moved on runners, much used for conveying heavy loads over frozen snow or ice; also to a seat mounted on runners, used for sliding on snow and ice. Sled (sled), v. t. pret. & pp. sledded; ppr. sledding. To convey or transport on a sled; as, to sled wood or timber. Sledded (sled'ed), p. and a. Mounted on or conveyed by a sled. Sledge (slej), n. [A. Sax. slecge, from slahan, slagan, to strike, to slay; so Icel. sleggia, a sledge-hammer. See SLAY.] A large heavy hammer used chiefly by ironsmiths. Called also a Sledge-hammer. Week in, week out, from morn till night, You can hear him swing his heavy sledge, With measured beat and slow. Longfellow. Sledge (slej), n. [A form which has developed itself from sled, perhaps directly from sleedje, the Dutch dim. from sleede, a sled or sledge. See SLED.] 1. A vehicle moved on runners or on low wheels, or without wheels, for the conveyance of loads over frozen snow or ice, or over the bare ground; a sled. 2. A kind of travelling carriage mounted on runners; a sleigh: much used in Russia, Canada, and other northern countries during winter, instead of wheelcarriages. See SLEIGH.-3. The hurdle on which traitors were formerly drawn to execution. Sledge (slej), v. t. and i. pret. & pp. sledged; ppr. sledging. To convey or transport in a sledge or sledges; to travel in a sledge or sledges. Sledge-chair (slej'char), n. A kind of chair mounted on runners and propelled on the ice by the hand. A number of sledge-chairs... were conveyed to the place of amusement. Illust. London News. Sledge-hammer (slej'ham-mer),n. [A double term, sledge meaning itself a hammer.] The largest hammer used in forges or by smiths in beating iron on an anvil. See SLEDGE. Sleech (slech), n. Same as Sleetch. Sleek (slek),a. [Icel. slikr, D. sluik, smooth, sleek; connected with Icel. sleikja, Dan. slikke, to lick; N. sleikja, to lick, to stroke with the hand, slikja, to be sleek, to shine.] 1. Smooth; having an even, smooth surface; whence glossy; as, sleek hair. 'So sleek her skin, so faultless was her make.' Dryden. 2. Not rough or harsh. Those rugged names to our like mouths grow sleek. Milton. SLEEK Sleekt (slék), n. That which makes sleek or smooth; varnish. Sleek (slek), v.t. 1. To make even and smooth; as, to sleek the hair.-2. To render smooth, soft, and glossy. Shak. Gentle, my lord, sleek o'er your rugged looks. Hence-3. Fig. to soothe; to appease; to calm. To sleek her ruffled peace of mind.' Tennyson. Sleek (slek), ade. With ease and dexterity; with exactness. [Vulgar.] Sleek-headed (slēk'hed-ed), a. Having the hair smoothed or well combed. Let me have men about me that are fat; Sleekit (slēk ́it), a. [Scotch.] 1. Smoothhaired; having a sleek skin.-2. Fig. smooth and parasitical in manner and design; flattering; deceitful; sly; cunning. Sleekly (slēk ́li), adv. In a sleek manner; smoothly; glossily; nicely. Sleekness (slék'nes), n. The state or quality of being sleek; glossiness or smoothness of surface. Sleekstone (slék'stön), n. A smoothing stone. Sleeky (slēk'i), a. 1. Of a sleek or smooth appearance. Thomson.-2 Sly; cunning; fawning: deceitful. [Scotch.] Sleep (slēp), v.i. pret. & pp. slept; ppr. sleeping. [A. Sax. slæpan, also slapan, O. Fris. slepa, O.Sax. slapan, D. and L. G. slapen, Goth slepan, O.G. slafan, Mod. G. schlafen, to sleep; supposed to be connected with G. schlaf, loose, relaxed. Does not occur in Scandinavian] 1. To take rest by a suspension of the voluntary exercise of the powers of the body and mind, and an apathy of the organs of sense. See the noun. He repents on thorns that sleeps on beds of roses. Quarles. 2 To be careless, inattentive, or unconcerned; not to be vigilant; to live thoughtlessly. Atterbury. We sleep over our happiness. 3. To be dead; to lie in the grave. Them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 1 Thes. iv. 14. 4 To be in repose or at rest; to be quiet; to be unemployed, unused, or unagitated; to be dormant or inactive; as, the question aleeps for the present; the sword sleeps in the sheath. How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank! The tangled watercourses slept. Tennyson, 5. To spin so rapidly and smoothly that the motion cannot be observed: said of a top, &c-6. To assume a state as regards vegetable functions analogous to the sleeping of animals In some species, the leaves sleep and not the cotyledons; in others, the cotyledons and not the leaves. Darwin. SYN. To slumber, nap, doze, drowse, rest, repose. Sleep (slép), v.t. 1. Only formally transitive, with sleep as object. 'Yet sleeps a dreamless sleep to me.' Tennyson.-2. To pass in sleeping; to consume in sleeping: generally with away; as, to sleep away the time; to sleep one's life away.-3. To get rid of, overcome, or recover from by sleeping: usually with of; as, to sleep off one's wine; to sleep of a fit of sickness.-4. To afford sleeping accommodation for; as, this cabin or car can sleep thirty passengers. [Colloq.] Sleep (slēp), n. [A. Sax. slep, O. Fris. slep. Goth. slips, G. schlaf. See the verb.] 1. A natural and healthy, but temporary and periodical suspension of the functions of the organs of the senses, as well as of volition; that state of the animal in which the senses are more or less unaffected by external objects, and the fancy or imagination only is active. During sleep the operations of the senses are entirely suspended as regards the effects of ordinary impressions, but the purely animal functions continue in action; the heart beats and the lungs respire with greater regularity, but less vigour; the stomach, the intestines, and their accessory organs digest; the skin exhales vapour, and the kidneys excrete urine. With the central nervous system, however, the case is very different; for while some parts may retain the power of receiving impressions or developing ideas, others have their actions diminished, exalted, perverted, or altogether arrested. It is on the nutritive regeneration of the tissues (more especially of the nervous tissue) which takes place during true healthy sleep 103 that its refreshing power and value to the organism depends. The quantity of sleep required by different individuals is various, from six to nine hours being the average proportion; but persons of very active dispositions and abstemious habits will be satisfied with much less, while children and aged people require much more. The physiological causes of sleep are as yet undetermined. Sometimes used in the plural. There are a kind of men so loose of soul That in their sleeps will mutter their affairs. Shak. 2. Death; rest in the grave. Here are no storms, No noise, but silence and eternal sleep. Shak. -Sleep of plants, a state of plants at night when their flowers close, the leaves change their positions, and fold themselves together, while vitality seems to retire from the periphery. This is chiefly owing to the withdrawal of the stimulus of light to which they are subjected during the day. The name is also given to a similar phenomenon occurring during the day. See extract. There is another class of movements, dependent on the action of light. We refer to the movements of leaves and cotyledons which when moderately illuminated are diaheliotropic, but which change their positions and present their edges to the light, when the sun shines brightly on them. These movements have sometimes been called diurnal sleep. Darwin. SYN. Slumber, rest, repose. Sleeper (slēp ́ér), n. 1. A person that sleeps; also, a drone or lazy person. -2. ↑ That which lies dormant, as a law not executed. Let penal laws, if they have been sleepers of long, or if grown unfit for the present time, be by wise judges confined in the execution. Bacon. 3. An animal that lies dormant in winter, as the bear, the marmot, &c.-4. In carp. a piece of timber on which are laid the ground joists of a floor; a beam on or near the ground for the support of some superstructure. 5. In rail. a beam of wood or wrought iron, a metal casting of a bowl shape, or now more rarely a stone block firmly embedded in the ground to sustain the rails, which are usually fixed to the sleepers by means of cast-iron supports called chairs. 6. In ship-building, a thick piece of timber placed longitudinally in a ship's hold, opposite the several scarfs of the timbers, for strengthening the bows and stern-frame; a piece of long compass-timber fayed and bolted diagonally upon the transoms.-7. In glass-making, a large iron bar crossing the smaller ones, hindering the passage of coals, but leaving room for the ashes.-8. A platform.-9. A dead person. Shak.-10. A large acanthopterygious West Indian fresh-water fish of the goby family (Gobioida), Electris dormatrix, occurring in marshes, and concealing itself in the mud. Sleepful (slēp'ful), a. Strongly inclined to sleep; sleepy. [Rare.] Sleepfulness (slēp'ful-nes), n. clination to sleep. [Rare.] Sleepily (slēp'i-li), adv. In a sleepy manner; as, (a) drowsily; with desire to sleep. (b) Lazily; dully; stupidly. To go on sleepily and safely in the easy ways of ancient mistakings.' Sir W. Raleigh. Sleepiness (slēp'i-nes), n. The state or quality of being sleepy; drowsiness; inclination to sleep. Strong in Watchfulness precedes too great sleepiness, Arbuthnot. Sleeping (slēp'ing), p. and a. 1. Reposing in sleep.-2. Occupied in sleep; as, sleeping hours.-3. Used for sleeping in; as, a sleeping room.-4. Tending to produce sleep; as, a sleeping draught.-Sleeping partner, a partner engaged in a business in which he has embarked capital but in the conducting of which he does not take an active part; a silent partner; a dormant partner. Sleeping (slep'ing), n. 1. The state of resting in sleep.-2. The state of being at rest, or not stirred or agitated. The sleeping of this business.' Shak.-Sleeping of process, in Scots law, the state of a process in the outer house of the Court of Session in which no judicial order or interlocutor has been pronounced for a year and a day. Sleeping-carriage (slēp'ing-kar-rij), n. Α railway carriage fitted up with berths for passengers during night travel. Sleepisht (slēp'ish), a. Disposed to sleep; sleepy. Your sleepish and more than sleepish security.' Ford. Sleepless (slēp'les), a. 1. Having no sleep; without sleep; wakeful. Trouble, care, and sleepless nights.' Milton.-2. Having no rest; SLEEVELESS never resting; perpetually agitated. 'Biscay's sleepless bay.' Byron. Sleeplessly (slēp'les-li), adv. In a sleepless manner. Sleeplessness (slēp'les-nes), n. The state of being sleepless; want or deprivation of sleep. One in a Sleep-waker (slēp'wak-ér), n. state of mesmeric, morbid, or partial sleep. Poe. Sleep-waking (slēp'wak-ing), n. The state of one who is mesmerized, or one understood to be at once asleep and awake or in a partial and morbid sleep. Sleep-walker (slēp'wak-ér), n. A somnambulist. Sleep-walking (slēp'wak-ing), n. Somnam bulism. A sleepy land, where under the same wheel 2. Tending to induce sleep; soporiferous; somniferous. We will give you sleepy drinks. Shak.-3. Dull; lazy; heavy; inactive; sluggish. The mildness of your sleepy thoughts. Shak. Sleer,† n. A slayer; a killer. Chaucer. Sleeress,t n. A female slayer or killer. Wickliffe. Sleet (slēt), n. [A form akin to Icel. slydda, Dan. slud, N. sletta, sleet.] 1. Rain mingled with hail or snow. 'Perpetual sleet and driving snow.' Dryden.-2. Shower of anything falling thick and causing a painful sensation like sleet. 'Sharp sleet of arrowy showers. Milton. Sleet (slēt), v.i. To snow or hail with a mixture of rain. Sleet (slēt), n. In gun. the part of a mortar passing from the chamber to the trunnions for strengthening that part. Sleetch (slech), n. Thick mud, as at the bottom of rivers. See SLUDGE. Sleetiness (slēt'i-nes), n. The state of being sleety. Sleety (slēt'i), a. Consisting of sleet; characterized by sleet. 'The sleety storm.' T. Warton. Sleeve (slěv), n. [O.E. sleve, A. Sax. slefe, a sleeve; slefan, to put on; O.H.G. slauf, clothing. Probably from root of slip. ] 1. The part of a garment that is fitted to cover the arm; as, the sleeve of a coat or gown.-2. In mech. a tube into which a rod or another tube is inserted. If small it is often called a thimble; when fixed and serving merely to strengthen the object which it incloses it is a reinforce. In the majority of its applications, however, the two parts have more or less relative circular or longitudinal motion. E. H. Knight.-3. [Comp. Fr. La Manche, the English Channel, manche, a sleeve.] A narrow channel of the sea; any narrow channel of water. 'The Celtic Sea, called oftentimes the Sleeve,' Drayton-To laugh in the sleeve, to laugh privately or unperceived, that is, perhaps, originally, by hiding the face behind the wide hanging sleeves worn in former times. John laughed heartily in his sleeve at the pride of Arbuthnot. the esquire. -To hang or pin on the sleeve, to be or make dependent. Why we should hang our judgment upon the church's sleeve.' Hooker. Sleeve (slěv), v. t. pret. & pp. sleeved; ppr. sleeving. To furnish with sleeves; to put in sleeves. Sleeve (slev), n. Same as Sleave. Sleeve-button (slev'but-n), n. A button to fasten the sleeve or wristband. Sleeve-coupling (slev'kup-ling), n. A tube within which the abutting ends of shafting are coupled together. E. H. Knight. Sleeved (slēvd), a. Having sleeves. Sleeve-fish (slev'fish), n. A species of cuttlefish of the genus Loligo; the squid. See SQUID. Sleeve-handt (slev'hand), n. The cuff attached to a sleeve. Shak. Sleeve-knot (slēv'not), n. A knot or bow of ribbon attached to the sleeve. Sleeveless (slevles), a. 1. Having no sleeves; as, a sleeveless cont. Sleeveless his jerkin was.' Donne.-2. Wanting a cover, pretext, or palliation; unreasonable; bootless; as, a sleeveless errand. This sleeveless tale of transubstantiation was brought into the world by that other fable of multiBo. Hall. presence. SLEEVE-LINK Sleeve-link (slēv'lingk), n. A contrivance consisting of two buttons or studs connected by a link for fastening the sleeve or wristband. Sleezy (slē'zi), a. See SLEAZY. Sleid (slad), v. t. [See SLEY.] To prepare for use in the weaver's sley or slaie. Shak. She weaved the sleided silk With fingers long. Sleigh (slå), n. [D. slee, a contr. form of sleede, a sled or sledge. (See SLED.) The word was probably introduced by the Dutch into America and thence to England.] A vehicle mounted on runners for transporting persons on the snow or ice. It is generally of a more elegant or ornamental form than the sledge or sled used for heavy traffic. You hear the merry tinkle of the little bells which announce the speeding sleigh, Ec. Rev. Sleigh-bell (slabel), n. A small bell of globular form attached to a sleigh or its harness to give notice of the vehicle's approach. Sleighing (sla'ing), n. 1. The state of the snow which admits of running sleighs. [United States.]-2. The act of riding in a sleigh. Sleighly, adv. [See SLEIGHT.] Slily; cunningly. Chaucer. Sleight (slit), n. [From O.E. sleigh, sligh, sly, crafty, like height from high; Icel. slægth, slyness, cunning, from slægr, sly. See SLY.] 1. An artful trick; a trick or feat so dexterously performed that the manner of performance escapes observation. 'Lest our simplicity be overreached by cunning sleights. Hooker. -2. ↑ An art; a skilful Distilled by magic sleights.' operation. Shak.-3. Dexterous practice; dexterity. Till what by sleight and what by strength They had it wonne. Gower. As lookers on feel most delight That least perceive the juggler's sleight. Hudibras. -Sleight of hand, legerdemain, prestidigitation. Beau. & Fl. Sleight (slit), a. Deceitful; artful. 'Spells of power to cheat the eye with sleight illusion.' Milton. Sleightful + (slit'ful), a. Artful; cunningly dexterous; crafty. Sleightful otters.' W. Browne. Sleightily + (slit'i-li), adv. Craftily. Sleighty (slit'i), a. Exercising sleight or craft; cunning; crafty; tricky. Men's sleighty jugling and counterfait craftes.' Bp. Gardiner. Slen, Sleen,t pres. tense pl. or infin. of sle, to slay. Slender (slen'dèr), a. [O.D. slinder, thin, slender. Perhaps the root meaning is pliant, bending to and fro; comp. D. slinderen, slidderen, to wriggle, to creep as a serpent; L.G. slindern, to glide.] 1. Small or narrow in circumference or width compared with the length; not thick; slim; thin; as, a slender stem or stalk of a plant. Beauteous Helen shines among the rest, Tall, slender, straight, with all the graces blest. Dryden. 2. Not strong; weak; feeble; slight; as, slender hope; slender probabilities; a slender constitution. Mighty hearts are held in slender chains. Pope. It is very slender comfort that relies upon this nice distinction. Tillotson. 3. Moderate; trivial; inconsiderable. A slender degree of patience will enable him to enjoy both the humour and the pathos. Sir W. Scott. 4. Small; insufficient; inadequate; meagre; pitiful; as, slender means. 'A thin and slender pittance.' Shak. Frequent begging makes slender alms. 5. Not amply supplied. The good Ostorius often deign'd 6. Spare; abstemious. Fuller. A. Philips. In obstructions inflammatory the aliment ought to be cool, slender, thin, diluting. Arbuthnot. Slenderly (slen'dér-li), adv. In a slender manner; slightly; feebly; inadequately; meagrely; sparely; meanly. Like a cobweb weaving slenderly.' Spenser. Neither is it a sum to be slenderly regarded.' Sir J. Hayward. Slenderness (slen'dèr-nes), n. The state or quality of being slender: (a) slimness; smallness of diameter in proportion to the length; as, the slenderness of a hair. (b) Want of strength; weakness; slightness; feebleness; as, the slenderness of a hope. (c) Want of plenty insufficiency; as, the slenderness of a supply. Slent+ (slent), v.i. 104 [See SLANT.] To make an oblique remark or sarcastic reflection. Shoot your arrows at me till your quiver be empty, but glance not the least slenting insinuation at his majesty. Fuller. Slent + (slent), v.t. To cause turn aslant or aside; to ward off. Slepe,t v.i. To sleep. Chaucer. Sleuth-hound (slöth'hound), n. A blood- To swing round; to slue. See SLUE. Slewed (slud), a. Moderately drunk. [Slang.] Sley (sla), n. [A Sax slæ, a sley; Icel. slá, a bar, bolt, cross-beam.] A weaver's reed. Also written Slay. To separate or part into Sley (slá), v.t. threads, as weavers do; to prepare for the sley. Slibbert (slib'èr), a. Holland. Slippery; smooth. Slibowitz (slib'o-vits), n. An ardent spirit, distilled in Bohemia from the fermented juice of plums. Slice (slis), v. t. pret. & pp. sliced; ppr. slicing. [O. Fr. esclice, from the G.; O. H.G. skleizan, sclizan, Mod. G. schleiszen, to break, to split. Akin slate, slit (which see).] 1. To cut into thin pieces, or to cut off a thin broad piece from; as, to slice an apple or a loaf.-2. To cut into parts; to cut; to divide. Princes and tyrants slice the earth among them. Burnet. 3. To cut off in a broad piece; to sever with a sharp instrument: often with off; as, to slice off a piece. Slice (slis), n. [From the verb.] 1. A thin broad piece cut off; as, a slice of bacon; a slice of cheese; a slice of bread.-2. That which is thin and broad like a slice; as, (a) a broad, thin piece of plaster. (b) An instrument for clearing the air-spaces between the bars of furnaces; a fire-shovel; a peel. (c) A salver, platter, or tray. Pepys. (d) A round-ended pliable knife, used for spreading plasters; a spatula. (e) A broad thin knife for serving fish at table. (f) A kind of paddle used by printers for spreading ink on the inking table. (g) A spade-shaped tool used for flensing whales. (h) A bar with a chisel or spear-headed end used for stripping off the sheathing or planking of ships. Slice-bar (slis'bar), n. Same as Slice 2 (b). Slicer (slis'èr), n. One who or that which slices; specifically, (a) the slightly concave circular saw used in gem-cutting. (b) Same as Slice, 2 (h). Slich, Slick (slich, slik), n. [L.G. slick, G. schlich, pounded and washed ore.] The ore of a metal, particularly of gold, when pounded and prepared for working. Slickt (slik), a. [See SLEEK.] Sleek; smooth. 'Silver-bow'd Apollo. . . both slicke and daintie.' Chapman. Slick (slik), adv. Immediately; thoroughly; effectually. [American.] Slick (slik), v.t. To make sleek or smooth. 'Slicked all with sweet oil.' Chapman. [Obsolete or provincial.] Slicken (slik'en), a. Sleek; smooth. [Obsolete or provincial.] Slickensided (slik'en-sid-ed), a. In mining, characterized by having slicken-sides. Slicken-sides, Sliken-sides (slik'en-sidz), n. pl. [From forming a sleek or smooth surface on the sides of cavities.] 1. A variety of galena in Derbyshire. It occurs lining the walls of very small rents or fissures.-2. In mining, a term applied to the polished striated surfaces of joints, beds, or fissures of rocks, glazed over with a film of calcareous or siliceous matter. Such surfaces are frequently due to the enormous reciprocal friction of two contiguous surfaces whose original relative positions have been altered SLIDE-REST by some movement of disturbance. Hence slicken-sides are found in connection with faults. Slicking (slik'ing), n. In mining, a narrow vein of ore. Slickness (slik'nes), n. State of being slick; sleekness. Slid (slid), pret. of slide. Slid, Slidden (slid, slid'n), pp. of slide. Slidder (slid'èr), v.i. [A. Sax. slíderian, slidrian. See SLIDE.] To slide with interrup tions; to slip repeatedly. [Old English and Scotch.] With that he dragg'd the trembling sire Slidd'ring through clotted blood. Dryden. Slidder, Slidderlyt (slid'ér, slid'ér-li), a [See above.] Slippery. Sliddery (slid'ér-i), a. Slippery. [Old and provincial.] Slide (slid), v.i. pret, slid, sometimes slided; pp. slid, slidden; ppr. sliding. [A. Sax. slidan, to slide; O.G. sliten. Sledge (the vehicle) and sled are allied.] 1. To move along the surface of any body by slipping; to slip; to glide; as, a sledge slides on snow or ice; a snow-slip slides down the mountain's side. Especially-2. To move over the surface of the snow or ice with a smooth uninterrupted motion; to amuse one's self with gliding over a surface of ice. They bathe in summer, and in winter slide. Waller. 3. To pass inadvertently. Make a door and a bar for thy mouth: beware theu slide not by it. Ecclus. xxviii. 26. 4. To pass along smoothly; to move gently onward; to slip away; to glide onward; as, a ship or boat slides through the water. Ages shall slide away without perceiving. Dryden Parts answering parts shall slide into a whole. Pope. 5. To be disregarded. Let the world slide." Shak.-6. To pass silently and gradually from one state to another: generally from a better to a worse. 'Nor could they have slid into those brutish immoralities.' South 7. To make a slip; to commit a fault; to backslide. Shak.-8. To go; to move off; to be gone. [Colloq. 1-9. In music, to pass from one note to another without any cessation of sound or apparent distinction between the intervals. Slide (slid), v.t. 1. To thrust smoothly along; to thrust or push forward by slipping; as, to slide along a log or piece of timber.-2 To pass or put imperceptibly; to slip. Sliding in or leaving out such words as entirely change the question.' Watts. Slide (slid), n. 1. A smooth and easy passage. Kings that have able men of their nobility shall find ease in employing them, and a better side into business. Васем. 2. Flow; even course. There be, whose fortunes are like Homer's verses, that have a slide and easiness more than the verses of other poets. Басем. 3. A prepared smooth surface of ice for sliding on. Mr. Pickwick.. ... at last took another run, and went slowly and gravely down the side, with his feet about a yard and a quarter apart, amid the gratified shouts of all the spectators. Dickens. 4. An inclined plane for facilitating the descent of heavy bodies by the force of gravity.-5. In music, a grace consisting of two small notes moving by conjoint degrees, and leading to a principal note above or below.-6. That part of an instrument or apparatus which slides or is slipped into or out of place; as, (a) the glass on which a microscopic object is mounted, the pictures shown by the stereoscope, magic-lantern, and the like. (b) The guide-bars on the crosshead of a steam-engine; also, the slidevalve. (c) The sliding tube of a trumpet or trombone. Slide-groat (slid'grōt), n. Same as Shove groat, Shovel-board. Slider (slid'ér), n. One who or that which slides; specifically, the part of an instrument, apparatus, or machine that slides. Slide-rail (slid ́rāl), n. 1. A contrivance for shunting carriages, wagons, &c., consisting of a platform on wheels running transversely across the tracks, and carrying the carriage. &c., from one line of rails to another without shunting.-2. A switch-rail. See RAIL WAY. Slide-rest (slid'rest), n. An appendage to the turning-lathe for holding and resting the cutting-tool, and insuring accuracy in its motion. The slide-rest imparts motion to the cutting-tool in two directions, the one being parallel and the other at right angles to the axis of the lathe. SLIDE-ROD Slide-rod (slid'rod), n. The rod which moves the slide-valve in a steam-engine. Slider-pump (slid'èr-pump), n. A name common to several pumps of various forms, but all having a piston which revolves continuously and forces the water through a pipe by means of a slide regulated by a spring, which intercepts its passage in any other direction. Slide-valve (slid'valv), n. A contrivance extensively employed in regulating the admission or escape of steam or water in machinery. A familiar example of the slidevalve is found in the ordinary steam-valve of a steam-engine. See D-VALVE. Sliding (slid'ing), a. 1. Fitted for sliding; apt to slide.2. Slippery; uncertain; as, sliding fortune. Chaucer. Sliding (slid'ing), n. 1. Lapse; falling; transgression; backsliding. You seem'd of late to make the law a tyrant; Shak. 2. In mech, the motion of a body along a plane, when the same face, or surface of the moving body, keeps in contact with the surface of the plane; thus distinguished from rolling, in which the several parts of the moving body come successively in contact with the plane on which it rolls. Sliding-baulk (slid′ing-bak), n. In shipbuilding, one of a set of planks fitted under the bottom of a ship, to descend with her upon the bilge-ways in launching. They are also termed Sliding-planks. Sliding-gauge (slid'ing-gāj), n. An instrument used by mathematical instrument makers for measuring and setting off dis tances. Sliding-gunter Mast (slid' ing-gun-ter mast), n. In a square-rigged vessel, a spar upon which a sky-sail is set when the royal mast has no pole. It rests upon the topgallant mast-head. Sliding-keel (slid'ing-kel), n. A narrow oblong frame or platform let down vertically through the bottom of a small vessel, like the deepening of a keel throughout a portion of her length. Sliding-keels serve to dimin ish the tendency of any vessel having a flat bottom or small draught to roll, and to prevent a sailing vessel from falling to leeward when close-hauled. Sliding - plank (slīd'ing-plangk), n. See SLIDING-BAULK Sliding-rule (slid'ing-röl), n. A mathematical instrument or scale, consisting of two parts, one of which slides along the other, and each having certain sets of numbers engraved on it, so arranged that when a given number on the one scale is brought to coincide with a given number on the other, the product or some other function of the two numbers is obtained by inspection. The numbers may be adapted to answer various purposes, but the instrument is chiefly used in gauging and for the measuring of timber. Sliding-scale (slid'ing-skål), n. 1. A scale or rate of payment which varies under certain conditions; as, (a) a scale for raising or lowering imposts in proportion to the fall and rise in the prices of the goods. (b) A scale of wages which rises and falls with the market price of the goods turned out. (c) The scale of prices for manufactured goods which is regulated by the rise and fall in price of the raw material, &c.-2. Same as Sliding-rule. D. Slie, Sligh,ta. Sly; cunning. Chaucer. Slight (slit), a. [Not found in Anglo-Saxon, but in all the other Teutonic tongues. slecht, plain, common, mean; Icel. sléttr (with loss of the guttural), smooth, even, common; G. schlecht, smooth, plain, then plain as opposed to what is of superior value, and then bad. The word is supposed to have meant originally beaten out smooth, the root being that of slay.] 1. Not decidedly marked; inconsiderable; unimportant; small; trifling; insignificant; as, a slight difference. In some slight measure.' Shak. 2. Not strong or forcible; feeble; weak; gentle; as, a slight impulse, impression, or effort.-3. Not severe, violent, or very painful; not dangerous; as, a slight pain, illness, headache, or the like.-4. Not thorough or exhaustive; superficial; careless; negligent; as, a slight examination. 5. Not firm or enduring; perishable; as, a slight structure. 6. Paltry: contemptible; worthless; frivolous. Every slight occasion. Shak. Some pleaseman, some slight zany.' Shak. A slight unmeritable man.' Shak 1 am shamed through all my nature to have loved so slight a thing. Tennyson. Tennyson. An image seem'd to pass the door, To look at her with slight. SYN. Neglect, disregard, inattention, contempt, disdain, scorn. Slight (slit), v.t. To treat as of little value and unworthy of notice; to disregard intentionally; to treat with intentional neglect or superciliousness; as, to slight the divine commands or the offers of mercy; to slight a person. 'Puts him off, slights him.' Shak.-To slight over, to run over in haste; to perform superficially; to treat carelessly. His death and your deliverance Were themes that ought not to be slighted over. Dryden. Slight (slit), v.t. [From slight in old sense of smooth, level; L.G. sligten, D. slechten, to level, to demolish.] 1. To dismantle, as a fortress; to overthrow. The castle was slighted by order of the parliament. Clarendon. 2. To throw; to cast. The rogues slighted me into the river with as little remorse as they would have drown'd a bitch's blind puppies. Shak. Slight+ (slit), adv. Slightly. Is Cæsar with Antonius prized so slight! Shak. Slight (slit), n. [See SLEIGHT.] Artifice; dexterity; sleight. One who slights or Slightent (slit'n), v. t. To slight or disregard. B. Jonson." Slighter (slit'èr), n. neglects. Jer. Taylor. Slightfult (slit'ful), a. Full of cunning. Wild beasts forsook their dens or woody hills, And slightful otters left the purling rills. W. Browne. Slightingly (slit'ing-li), adv. In a slighting manner; with disrespect. Boyle. Slightly (slit'li), adv. In a slight manner; as, (a) weakly; superficially; with inconsiderable force or effect; in a small degree; as, a man slightly wounded; an audience slightly affected with preaching. (b) Negligently; without regard; with moderate contempt. You were to blame To part so slightly with your wife's first gift. Shak. Slightness (slit'nes), n. 1. The state or quality of being slight; weakness; want of force or strength; superficialness; as, the slightness of a wound or an impression.2. Negligence; want of attention; want of vehemence. How does it reproach the slightness of our sleepy heartless addresses! Dr. H. More. Slighty + (slit'i), a. 1. Superficial; slight.— SIDES. Slily (slili), adv. In a sly or cunning manner; with artful or dexterous secrecy. Written also Slyly. Satan slily robs us of our grand treasure. Dr. H. More. Slim (slim), a. [Same word as D. slim, L.G. slimm, Dan. and Sw. slem, Icel. slæmr, G. schlimm, all with the stronger sense of bad.] 1. Slender; of small diameter or thickness in proportion to the height. I was jogg'd on the elbow by a slim young girl of seventeen. 2. Weak; slight; unsubstantial. 'A slim excuse.' Barrow.-3. Slight; not sufficient: applied to workmanship.-4. Worthless. [Provincial and Scotch.] Slime (slim), n. [A. Sax. slim, Icel. slím, D. slijm, G. schleim, slime, slimy matter, mucilage, &c.; allied to G. schlamm, mud, mire, perhaps to lime, loam, with prefixed 8.] 1. Any soft, ropy, glutinous, or viscous substance; as, (a) soft moist earth having an adhesive quality; viscous mud. As it (Nilus) ebbs, the seedsman Upon the slime and ooze scatters his grain. Shak (b) Asphalt or bitumen. She took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch. Ex. ii. 3. (c) A mucous, viscous substance exuded from the bodies of certain animals. 'Mixt with bestial slime.' Milton.-2. Fig. anything of a clinging and offensive nature; SLING cringing or fawning words or actions. The slime that sticks on filthy deeds.' Shak. Slime (slim), v.t. pret. & pp. slimed; ppr. sliming. To cover as with slime; to make slimy. 'Snake-like slimed his victim ere he gorged.' Tennyson. Slime-pit (slim'pit), n. An asphalt or bitumen pit. And the vale of Siddim was full of slime-pits. In an hour the bitumen was exhausted for the time, the dense smoke gradually died away, and the pale light of the moon shone over the black slimepits. Layard. Sliminess (slim'i-nes), n. The quality of being slimy; viscosity; slime. Floyer. Slimmer (slim'èr), a. [From slim; comp. G. schlimmer, sorry, paltry.] Delicate; easily hurt. [Provincial.] Being a gentlewoman both by blood and education, she's a very slimmer affair to handle in a doing of this kind. Gall. Somewhat slim. Slimmish (slim'ish), a. 'He's a slimmish chap.' Jerrold. Slimness (slim'nes), n. State or quality of being slim. Slimsy (slim'zi), a. [From slim.] Flimsy; frail: most frequently applied to cotton or other cloth. [American.] Slimy (slim'i), a. Abounding with slime; consisting of slime; overspread with slime; glutinous; as, a slimy soil. The very deep did rot; O Christ! Yea, slimy things did crawl with legs Sliness (sli'nes), n. The state or quality of being sly. See SLYNESS. Sling (sling), n. [A. Sax. slinge, Sc. slung, D. slinger, Sw.slunga, Icel slanga,O.G. slinga, a sling. See the verb.] 1. An instrument for throwing stones or bullets, consisting of a strap and two strings attached to it. The stone or bullet is lodged in the strap, and the ends of the strings being held in the hand the sling is whirled rapidly round in a circle, and the missile thrown by letting go one of the strings. The velocity with which the projectile is discharged is the same as that with which it is whirled round in a circle, having the string for its radius. The sling was a very general instrument of war among the ancients. With a sling and a stone David killed Goliath.-2. A sweep or swing; a sweeping stroke, as if made in slinging. 'At one sling of thy victorious arm.' Milton. As when the air is serene in the sultry solstice of summer, Suddenly gathers a storm, and the deadly sling of the hailstones Beats down the farmer's corn in the field and shatters his windows. Longfellow. 3. A kind of hanging bandage in which a wounded limb is sustained.-4. A device for se holding heavy articles, as casks, bales, &c., curely while being raised or lowered. A common form consists of coils of rope fitted securely round the object, but frequently a chain with hooks at its end, and a ring through which to pass the hook of the hoisting rope, as shown in the figure, is employed.-5. The strap by which a rifle is supported on the shoulder. Boat slings, strong ropes furnished with hooks and iron thimbles, whereby to hook the tackles in order to hoist the boats in and out of the ship.-Slings of a yard, ropes fixed round the middle of the yard, serving to suspend it for the greater ease of working, or for security in an engagement. This term also applies to the middle or that part of the yard on which the slings are placed. Sling (sling), v.t. pret. & pp. slung; ppr. slinging. [A. Sax. slingan, to sling, to swing; Dan. slynge, to sling, to wind; Sw. slinga, to twist; Icel. slyngva, slöngva, to sling, to swing; G. schlingen, to interlace, to knit. Probably from a root denoting to make a winding or serpentine motion; comp. Icel. slangi, G. schlange, a serpent. Slink may Sling used in unloading Vessels. |