slippery

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English

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Etymology

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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”).

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈslɪpəɹi/, /ˈslɪpɹi/
  • Audio (US):(file)

Adjective

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slippery (comparative slipperier or more slippery, superlative slipperiest or most slippery)

  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.
    • 1936, F.J. Thwaites, chapter XXII, in The Redemption, Sydney: H. John Edwards, published 1940, page 214:
      The screeching of brakes, the monotonous blare of motor horns, the clip-clip of shoes on slippery pavements, the rustling of wet mackintoshes were all part of the great metropolis.
  2. (figuratively, by extension) Evasive; difficult to pin down.
    a slippery person
    a slippery promise
  3. (obsolete) Liable to slip; not standing firm.
    • c. 1602, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Troylus and Cressida”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iii], line 84:
      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.
    • 1641 (first performance), [John Denham], The Sophy. […], 2nd edition, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for H[enry] Herringman, […], published 1667, →OCLC, (please specify the page):
      He looking down
      With scorn or pity on the slippery state
      Of kings, will tread upon the neck of fate.
  5. (obsolete) Wanton; unchaste; loose in morals.

Synonyms

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Antonyms

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  • (antonym(s) of “of a surface”): sticky

Derived terms

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Translations

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