Slippery
adj ·Common ·High school level
Definitions
- 1 Of a surface, having low friction, often due to being covered in a non-viscous liquid, and therefore hard to grip, hard to stand on without falling, etc.
"Oily substances render things slippery."
- 2 Evasive; difficult to pin down. broadly, figuratively
"a slippery person"
- 3 Liable to slip; not standing firm. obsolete
"Which when they fall, as being slippery standers, / The love that leaned on them, as slippery too, / Do one pluck down another, and together / Die in the fall."
- 4 Unstable; changeable; inconstant.
"He looking down With scorn or pity on the slippery state Of kings, will tread upon the neck of fate."
- 5 Wanton; unchaste; loose in morals. obsolete
"My wife is slippery? If thou wilt confess –"
- 1 causing or tending to cause things to slip or slide wordnet
- 2 not to be trusted wordnet
Example
More examples"The politician is as slippery as an eel!"
Etymology
From Middle English slipperie, an extended form ( + -y) of Middle English slipper, sliper (“slippery”), from Old English slipor (“slippery”), from Proto-Germanic *slipraz (“smooth, slippery”), equivalent to slip + -er. Compare also Middle English slibbri, slubbri (“slippery”) borrowed from Middle Dutch or Middle Low German slibberich (“slippery”). Cognate with German schlüpfrig (“slippery”), Danish slibrig (“slippery”), Swedish slipprig (“slippery”).