slash

SaySLASHUS/slæʃ/UK/slaʃ/

35 meanings of slash

1
nouncountable
A punctuation mark that looks like a leaning line ( / ), used to separate words, numbers, or choices.
Like a thin line leaning to one side, drawn to keep two things apart.
Write the date with a slash between the day and the month.
Put a slash between the two words to show a choice.
Similarstroke, oblique, solidus
Note
2
verbfigurativelytransitive
To cut something such as prices or spending by a large amount.
Like chopping a price in half with one quick cut.
The store decided to slash prices before the holidays.
Managers slashed the budget to save money.
Similarcut, reduce, lower, decrease, trim
Oppositeraise, increase, hike, boost
3
conjunctionCanadaUS
Used between two choices to mean 'or'.
Like the little word 'or' said out loud where you would write a / mark.
You can pay with cash slash card at the counter.
Bring a snack slash drink for the trip.
Similaror
Note
4
verbtransitive or intransitive
To cut someone or something with a quick, wide stroke of a sharp blade.
Like swinging a knife in one fast, wide cut.
The attacker tried to slash the rope with his knife.
He slashed at the vines blocking the trail.
Similarcut, slice, gash, hack, slit
Note
5
nouncountable
A quick, wide cut made with a blade or whip.
Like one fast swing of a sword through the air.
One slash of the sword cut the rope in two.
The fencer's slash missed by inches.
Similarcut, stroke, swipe, slice
Note
6
nounfigurativelycountable
A large cut to money, jobs, or other resources.
Like cutting a big piece off your allowance all at once.
The budget slash forced the school to drop art classes.
News of the price slash brought in crowds of shoppers.
Similarcut, reduction, cutback, decrease
Oppositeincrease, rise, boost, hike
7
verbfigurativelytransitive
To criticize someone or something in a harsh, hurtful way.
Like tearing into someone's work with sharp words.
Critics were quick to slash the new movie.
Reviewers slashed her first novel without mercy.
Similarpan, savage, slate, lambaste, blast
Oppositepraise, acclaim, laud
8
nouncountable
A deep cut in the skin made by a blade or whip.
Like a long, deep scratch left by something very sharp.
The fight left a long slash across his arm.
A deep slash on her hand needed stitches.
Similargash, cut, laceration, wound
9
conjunctionCanadaUS
Used between two roles to show that one person is both.
Like a / mark that links two jobs one person does.
She is a writer slash teacher.
He works as a chef slash bartender.
Note
10
verbintransitive
To move very fast and with great force.
Like wind cutting fast through the trees in a storm.
The boat began to slash through the rough waves.
Cold rain slashed against the windows all night.
Similartear, race, sweep, whip, rip

11
verbtransitive
To hit another player across the arms or legs with a hockey stick.
Like swinging a stick down on someone's arm instead of the ball.
The referee saw him slash the other forward and called a penalty.
You can't slash a player to steal the puck.
Similarhack, chop
Note
12
verbtransitive
To wound someone with a hard, cutting strike of a whip.
Like a whip biting into the skin with one hard crack.
The driver would slash the mules to make them run faster.
He slashed the prisoner's back with a leather whip.
Similarlash, whip, flog
13
nouncountable
A wide swing made with a sports stick or bat.
Like one big, sweeping swing of a bat.
His slash sent the ball flying past the fielders.
She won the point with one quick slash of her stick.
Similarswing, swipe, hack
Note
14
verbtransitive
To swing a whip hard so it cracks through the air.
Like swinging a rope so fast it snaps with a loud crack.
The ringmaster would slash the whip to start the act.
He slashed his whip above the team of horses.
Similarcrack, flick
15
verbtransitive
To cut openings in a piece of clothing for style.
Like cutting little windows into cloth to show what's underneath.
Designers slash jeans to give them a worn look.
She decided to slash the sleeves of her old jacket.
Similarslit, cut
Note
16
nouncountable
An open cut in a piece of clothing that shows a different color underneath.
Like a small window cut into cloth that lets you see the color inside.
The jacket had a slash on each sleeve that showed the bright lining.
Designers added slashes to the dress so the gold fabric peeked through.
Similarslit, opening
Note
17
nounslanguncountable
A kind of fan story about two characters of the same sex who fall in love.
Like a love story fans make up about two characters who never dated in the show.
He posts slash about the two lead characters every week.
Most of the slash in this fandom pairs the hero with his rival.
Note
18
nounnonstandardcountable
A mark used in writing that looks like a slash, such as the backslash.
Windows file paths use one slash while web links use the other.
The manual explains when to type each slash, forward or back.
Note
19
verbintransitive
To swing hard and wildly at the ball, hoping to hit it.
Like swinging a bat as hard as you can without really aiming.
He tends to slash at every ball that comes near him.
Don't slash wildly; watch the ball onto the bat first.
Similarswipe, flail, swing, hack
Note
20
verbslangintransitive
To write fan stories about two characters of the same sex who fall in love.
Like writing your own love story for two characters from a show.
She started to slash after joining the fan forum.
They slash mostly about characters from old TV shows.
Note
21
nounCanadaUScountable
An open space in a forest made by cutting trees or by fire.
Like a bald patch in thick hair where the trees used to grow.
Deer often graze in the slash left after the loggers moved on.
A wildfire opened a wide slash across the hillside.
Similarclearing
Note
22
nounCanadaUSuncountable
The branches and bits of wood left on the ground after trees are cut.
Like the scraps left on the floor after someone trims a hedge.
Workers piled the slash and burned it before winter.
The forest floor was covered in slash after the crew left.
Similardebris, brash, brush, trimmings
Note
23
verbCanadaUStransitive
To clear land by cutting down trees, burning brush, or letting animals graze it.
Like clearing a messy yard by pulling out everything in your way.
Settlers would slash the woods to make room for fields.
They slashed the brush and burned what was left.
Similarclear
Note
24
nounslangvulgarcountable
A rude slang word for the vulva, a woman's outer sex organs.
He made a vulgar remark about her slash, and she walked off.
Their crude locker-room talk kept circling back to one girl's slash.
Note
25
nounslangvulgarUKcountable
A pee, or an act of passing urine.
He nipped out the back for a quick slash before the match.
I'm desperate for a slash. Where's the loo?
Similarpee, wee, leak
Note
26
verbslangUKintransitive
To urinate, or pass water.
He went outside to slash against the fence.
I really need to slash before we leave.
Similarpee, wee, piddle
Note
27
nouncountable
A deep cut made into a plant that narrows to a point.
Like a narrow cut you make in a tree to let the juice run out.
The farmer made a slash in the bark to collect the sap.
Each rubber tree had a fresh slash near its base.
Similarincision, cut, notch
Note
28
noundialectalEasternUScountable
A low, wet piece of ground, like a swamp.
Like a soggy, muddy field where the water never fully drains away.
They hunted ducks in the slash beyond the farm.
The road flooded where it crossed the slash.
Similarswamp, marsh, bog, slough, mire
Note
29
noundialectalEasternUScountable
A type of pine tree, called slash pine, that grows in wet, swampy southern areas.
A young slash had taken root at the swamp's edge.
The mill bought slash for lumber and pulp.
Note
30
adverb
Used to copy the sound or quick motion of something slashing through the air.
Like saying 'bang' for a loud noise: 'slash' stands for the sound of a fast cut.
Slash! The blade cut clean through the rope.
He swung the stick, slash, and the weeds fell flat.
Note
31
nounobsolete
A swallow of a drink.
32
nounslangUK
Pee, the liquid that leaves your body.
33
noundialectalScotland
A lot of thin, watery food like soup.
34
verbdialectalScotland
To work while splashing in water or mud.
35
nounobsoleteUK
A hollow of broken coal, or a round pocket of coal, in a mine.

Practice

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Origins

Meanings 1–24, 27, 30

A late Middle English verb. Its origin is not certain. It may imitate a sound, or it may come from an Old French word meaning "to break in pieces."

Meanings 25–26

The origin is uncertain. Compare Scots slash ("large splash"), possibly from Old French esclache. The slang use for urination is recorded from the 1950s.

Meanings 28–29

The origin is uncertain. It may be related to words for wet, muddy places, such as Swedish slask ("slush").