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SLOOP, sl[=oo]p, _n._ a light boat: a one-masted cutter-rigged vessel, differing from a cutter, according to old authorities, in having a fixed bowsprit and somewhat smaller sails in proportion to the hull.--_n._ SLOOP'-OF-WAR, formerly a vessel, of whatever rig, between a corvette and a gun-vessel, constituting the command of a commander, carrying from ten to eighteen guns. [Dut. _sloep_, prob. O. Fr. _chaloupe_, shallop.]
SLOP, slop, _n._ water carelessly spilled: a puddle: mean liquor or liquid food: (_pl._) dirty water.--_v.t._ to soil by letting a liquid fall upon:--_pr.p._ slop'ping; _pa.p._ slopped.--_ns._ SLOP'-B[=A]'SIN, -BOWL, a basin for slops, esp. for the dregs of tea and coffee cups at table; SLOP'-DASH, weak cold tea, &c.: SLOP'-PAIL, a pail for collecting slops; SLOP'PINESS.--_adj._ SLOP'PY, wet: muddy. [A.S. _sloppe_, _slyppe_, cow-droppings--_slupan_, to slip.]
SLOPE, sl[=o]p, _n._ any incline down which a thing may slip: a direction downward.--_v.t._ to form with a slope, or obliquely.--_v.i._ to be inclined, to slant: (_slang_) to decamp, disappear.--_adv._ in a sloping manner.--_adv._ SLOPE'WISE, obliquely.--_p.adj._ SL[=O]'PING, inclining from a horizontal or other right line.--_adv._ SL[=O]'PINGLY, in a sloping manner: with a slope.--_adj._ SL[=O]'PY, sloping, inclined: oblique. [A.S.
_slipan_, pa.t. _slap_, to slip.]
SLOPS, slops, _n.pl._ any loose lower garment that slips on easily, esp.
trousers: ready-made clothing, &c.--_ns._ SLOP'-SELL'ER, one who sells cheap ready-made clothes; SLOP'-SHOP, a shop where ready-made clothes are sold; SLOP'-WORK, the making of cheap cloth, any work superficially done; SLOP'-WORK'ER, one who does slop-work. [Scand., Ice. _sloppr_, a long robe--_sleppa_, to slip.]
SLOSH, slosh, _n._ a watery mess.--_v.i._ to flounder in slush: to go about in an easy way.--_adj._ SLOSH'Y. [A form of _slush_.]
SLOT, slot, _n._ a bar or bolt: a broad, flat, wooden bar which holds together larger pieces. [Allied to Low Ger. _slot_, Dut. _slot_, a lock.]
SLOT, slot, _n._ a hollow, narrow depression, to receive some corresponding part in a mechanism: a ditch, the continuous opening between the rails in a cable tramway along which the shank of the grip moves.--_n._ SLOT'TING-MACHINE', a machine for cutting slots or square grooves in metal.
[SLIT.]
SLOT, slot, _n._ the track of a deer. [Ice. _sloth_, track, path; Scot.
_sleuth_, track by the scent.]
SLOTH, sl[=o]th, or sloth, _n._ laziness, sluggishness: a sluggish arboreal animal of tropical America, of two genera (_Choloepus_, the two-toed sloth, and _Bradypus_, the three-toed sloth).--_adj._ SLOTH'FUL, given to sloth: inactive: lazy.--_adv._ SLOTH'FULLY.--_n._ SLOTH'FULNESS. [A.S.
_sl['ae]wth_--_slaw_, slow.]
SLOTTER, slot'[.e]r, _n._ filth.--_v.t._ to foul.--_adj._ SLOTT'ERY, foul.
SLOUCH, slowch, _n._ a hanging down loosely of the head or other part: clownish gait: a clown.--_v.i._ to hang down: to have a clownish look or gait.--_v.t._ to depress.--_n._ SLOUCH'-HAT, a soft broad-brimmed hat.--_p.adj._ SLOUCH'ING, walking with a downcast, awkward manner: hanging down.--_adj._ SLOUCH'Y, somewhat slouching. [Scand., Ice. _slokr_, a slouching fellow; _slakr_, slack.]
SLOUGH, slow, _n._ a hollow filled with mud: a soft bog or marsh.--_adj._ SLOUGH'Y, full of sloughs: miry. [A.S. _sloh_, a hollow place; perh. from Ir. _sloc_--_slugaim_, to swallow up.]
SLOUGH, sluf, _n._ the cast-off skin of a serpent: the dead part which separates from a sore.--_v.i._ to come away as a slough (with _off_): to be in the state of sloughing.--_v.t._ to cast off, as a slough.--_adj._ SLOUGH'Y, like, or containing, slough. [Scand.; Sw. dial. _slug_; cf. Ger.
_slauch_, a skin.]
SLOVAK, sl[=o]-vak', _adj._ pertaining to the _Slovaks_, a branch of the Slavs in the mountainous districts of N.W. Hungary, their language little more than a dialect of Czech.--_n._ one of this race, or his language.--_adjs._ SLOVAK'IAN, SLOVAK'ISH.
SLOVEN, sluv'n, _n._ a man carelessly or dirtily dressed:--_fem._ SLUT.--_n._ SLOV'ENLINESS.--_adj._ SLOV'ENLY, like a sloven: negligent of neatness or cleanliness: disorderly: done in an untidy manner.--_adv._ negligently.--_n._ SLOV'ENRY (_Shak._), slovenliness. [Old Dut. _slof_, sloef, Low Ger. _sluf_, slow, indolent.]
SLOVENIAN, sl[=o]-v[=e]'ni-an, _adj._ pertaining to the _Slovenes_, a branch of the South Slavonic stock to which the Serbs and Croats belong.
SLOW, sl[=o], _adj._ not swift: late: behind in time: not hasty: not ready: not progressive.--_v.t._ to delay, retard, slacken the speed of.--_v.i._ to slacken in speed.--_n._ SLOW'BACK, a lazy lubber.--_p.adj._ SLOW'-GAIT'ED (_Shak._), accustomed to walk slowly.--_ns._ SLOW'-HOUND, sleuth-hound; SLOW'ING, a lessening of speed.--_adv._ SLOW'LY.--_ns._ SLOW'-MATCH, generally rope steeped in a solution of saltpetre and lime-water, used for firing guns before the introduction of friction tubes, and sometimes for firing military mines, now superseded by _Bickford's fuse_, a train of gunpowder enclosed in two coatings of jute thread waterproofed; SLOW'NESS.--_adj._ SLOW'-SIGHT'ED, slow to discern; SLOW'-WINGED, flying slowly.--_n._ SLOW'-WORM, a scincoid lizard, same as Blind-worm--by popular etymology '_slow-_worm,' but, according to Skeat, really '_slay-_worm,'
A.S. _sla-wyrm_. [A.S. _slaw_; Dut. _slee_, Ice. _sljor_.]
SLOYD, SLOID, sloid, _n._ the name given to a certain system of manual instruction which obtains in the schools of Finland and Sweden, the word properly denoting work of an artisan kind practised not as a trade or means of livelihood, but in the intervals of other employment. [Sw. _slojd_, dexterity.]
SLUB, slub, _v.t._ to twist after carding to prepare for spinning.
SLUBBER, slub'[.e]r, _v.t._ to stain, to daub, slur over.--_n._ SLUBB'ER-DEGULL'ION, a wretch.--_adv._ SLUBB'ERINGLY. [Dut. _slobberen_, to lap, Low Ger. _slubbern_.]
SLUDGE, sluj, _n._ soft mud or mire: half-melted snow.--_adj._ SLUDG'Y, miry: muddy. [A form of _slush_.]
SLUE, SLEW, sl[=u], _v.t._ (_naut._) to turn anything about its axis without removing it from its place: to turn or twist about.--_v.i._ to turn round:--_pr.p._ sl[=u]'ing; _pa.p._ sl[=u]ed.--_n._ the turning of a body upon an axis within its figure.--_adj._ SLUED, tipsy. [Scand., Ice. _snua_, to turn.]
SLUG, slug, _n._ a heavy, lazy fellow: a name for land-molluscs of order Pulmonata, with shell rudimentary or absent--they do great damage to garden crops: any hinderance.--_ns._ SLUG'-A-BED (_Shak._), one who is fond of lying in bed, a sluggard; SLUG'GARD, one habitually idle or inactive.--_v.t._ SLUG'GARDISE (_Shak._), to make lazy.--_adj._ SLUG'GISH, habitually lazy: slothful: having little motion: having little or no power.--_adv._ SLUG'GISHLY.--_n._ SLUG'GISHNESS. [Scand., Dan. _slug_, _sluk_, drooping, Norw. _sloka_, to slouch; Low Ger. _slukkern_, to be loose; allied to slack.]
SLUG, slug, _n._ a cylindrical or oval piece of metal for firing from a gun: a piece of crude metal. [Prob. from slug above, or _slug_=_slog_, to hit hard.]
SLUGGA, slug'a, _n._ a deep cavity formed by the action of subterranean streams common in some limestone districts of Ireland. [Ir. _slugaid_, a slough.]
SLUGHORN, slug'horn, _n._ a word used to denote a kind of horn, but really a corruption of slogan.
SLUICE, sl[=oo]s, _n._ a sliding gate in a frame for shutting off or regulating the flow of water: the stream which flows through it: that through which anything flows: a source of supply: in mining, a board trough for separating gold from placer-dirt carried through it by a current of water: the injection-valve in a steam-engine condenser.--_v.t._ to wet or drench copiously: to wash in or by a sluice: to flush or clean out with a strong flow of water.--_adj._ SLUIC'Y, falling in streams, as from a sluice. [O. Fr. _escluse_ (Fr. _ecluse)_--Low L. _exclusa_ (_aqua_), a sluice (water) shut out, _pa.p._ of L. _ex-clud[)e]re_, to shut out.]
SLUM, slum, _n._ a low street or neighbourhood.--_v.i._ to visit the slums of a city, esp. from motives of curiosity.--_ns._ SLUM'MER, one who slums; SLUM'MING, the practice of visiting slums.
SLUMBER, slum'b[.e]r, _v.i._ to sleep lightly: to sleep: to be in a state of negligence or inactivity.--_n._ light sleep: repose.--_ns._ SLUM'BERER; SLUM'BERING.--_adv._ SLUM'BERINGLY, in a slumbering manner.--_n._ SLUM'BERLAND, the state of slumber.--_adjs._ SLUM'BERLESS, without slumber: sleepless; SLUM'BEROUS, SLUM'BROUS, inviting or causing slumber; sleepy; SLUM'BERY, sleepy: drowsy. [With intrusive _b_ from M. E. _slumeren_--A.S.
_sluma_, slumber; cog. with Ger. _schlummern_.]
SLUMP, slump, _v.i._ to fall or sink suddenly into water or mud: to fail or fall through helplessly.--_n._ a boggy place: the act of sinking into slush, &c., also the sound so made: a sudden fall or failure.--_adj._ SLUMP'Y, marshy. [Cf. Dan. _slumpe_, to stumble upon by chance; Ger.
_schlumpen_, to trail.]
SLUMP, slump, _v.t._ to throw into a lump or mass, to lump.--_n._ a gross amount, a lump.--_n._ SLUMP'-WORK, work in the lump. [Cf. Dan. _slump_, a lot, Dut. _slomp_, a mass.]
SLUNG, _pa.t._ and _pa.p._ of _sling_.--_n._ SLUNG'-SHOT, a weight attached to a cord, used as a weapon.
SLUNK, _pa.t._ and _pa.p._ of _slink_.--_adj._ SLUNK'EN (_prov._), shrivelled.
SLUR, slur, _v.t._ to soil; to contaminate: to disgrace: to pass over lightly: to conceal: (_mus._) to sing or play in a gliding manner.--_v.i._ (_print._) to slip in making the impression, causing the printing to be blurred:--_pr.p._ slur'ring; _pa.t._ and _pa.p._ slurred.--_n._ a stain: slight reproach or disparagement: (_mus._) a mark showing that notes are to be sung to the same syllable.--_p.adj._ SLURRED (_mus._), marked with a slur, performed in a gliding style like notes marked with a slur. [Old Dut.
_slooren_, sleuren, Low Ger. _sluren_, to drag along the ground.]
SLURRY, slur'i, _n._ any one of several semi-fluid mixtures, esp. of ganister, used to make repairs in converter-linings.
SLUSH, slush, _n._ liquid mud: melting snow: a mixture of grease for lubrication: the refuse of the cook's galley in a ship.--_v.t._ to apply slush to, to grease: to wash by throwing water upon: to fill spaces in masonry with mortar (with up): to coat with a mixture of white-lead and lime the bright parts of machinery.--_adj._ SLUSH'Y. [Cf. _Slosh_.]
SLUT, slut, _n._ (_fem._ of SLOVEN) a dirty, untidy woman: a wench, a jade: a bitch.--_adj._ SLUT'TISH, resembling a slut: dirty: careless.--_adv._ SLUT'TISHLY.--_ns._ SLUT'TISHNESS, SLUT'TERY. [Scand., Ice. _slottr_, a dull fellow--_slota_, to droop.]
SLY, sl[=i], _adj._ dexterous in doing anything so as to be unobserved: cunning: wily: secret: done with artful dexterity: illicit.--_n._ SLY'BOOTS, a sly or cunning person or animal.--_advs._ SLY'LY, SL[=I]'LY.--_ns._ SLY'NESS, SL[=I]'NESS.--ON THE SLY, slyly, secretly.
[Prob. from Ice. _slaeg-r_; cf. Ger. _schlau_.]
SLYPE, sl[=i]p, _n._ a. covered passage from the transept of a cathedral to the chapter-house, &c. [_Slip_.]
SMACK, smak, _n._ taste: flavour: a pleasing taste: a small quantity: a flavour of something.--_v.i._ to have a taste: to have a quality. [A.S.
_smaec_.]
SMACK, smak, _n._ a generic name for small decked or half-decked coasters and fishing-vessels, most rigged as cutters, sloops, or yawls. [Dut.
_smak_; Ger. _schmacke_, Ice. _snekja_.]
SMACK, smak, _v.t._ to strike smartly, to slap loudly: to kiss roughly and noisily.--_v.i._ to make a sharp noise with, as the lips by separation.--_n._ a sharp sound: a crack: a hearty kiss.--_adv._ sharply, straight.--_p.adj._ SMACK'ING, making a sharp, brisk sound, a sharp noise, a smack. [Prob. imit., Dut. _smakken_, to smite, Ger. _schmatzen_, to smack.]
SMALL, smawl, _adj._ little in quantity or degree: minute: not great: unimportant: ungenerous, petty: of little worth or ability: short: having little strength: gentle: little in quality or quantity.--_adv._ in a low tone; gently.--_ns._ SMALL'-ALE, ale with little malt and unhopped; SMALL'-AND-EARL'Y (_coll._) an informal evening-party.--_n.pl._ SMALL'-ARMS, muskets, rifles, pistols, &c., including all weapons that can be actually carried by a man.--_n._ SMALL'-BEER, a kind of weak beer.--_adj._ inferior generally.--_n.pl._ SMALL'-CLOTHES, knee-breeches, esp. those of the close-fitting 18th-century form.--_ns._ SMALL'-COAL, coal not in lumps but small pieces; SMALL'-CRAFT, small vessels generally.--_n.pl._ SMALL'-DEBTS, a phrase current in Scotland to denote debts under 12, recoverable in the Sheriff Court.--_n._ SMALL'-HAND, writing such as is ordinarily used in correspondence.--_n.pl._ SMALL'-HOURS, the hours immediately following midnight.--_adj._ SMALL'ISH, somewhat small.--_ns._ SMALL'NESS; SMALL'-P[=I]'CA (see PICA); SMALL'POX, or _Variola_, a contagious, febrile disease, of the class known as _Exanthemata_, characterised by small pocks or eruptions on the skin; SMALLS, the 'little-go' or previous examination: small-clothes; SMALL'-TALK, light or trifling conversation.--_n.pl._ SMALL'-WARES (see WARE).--IN A SMALL WAY, with little capital or stock: unostentatiously.