slip

SLIP/slɪp/

Verbslips, slipping, slipped

Noun pluralslips

44 meanings of slip

Practice

1
verbintransitive
To slide by accident, so you lose your balance, or so something slides out of place or out of your hand.
Like your feet sliding out from under you on a banana peel.
She slipped on the wet floor and fell.
Be careful not to slip on the ice.
UsageSay slip on the ice.
Similarslide, skid
Note
2
sneakverbintransitive
To move quickly and quietly, often so no one notices.
Like sliding quietly out a back door.
She slipped out of the room before anyone noticed.
Try to slip past the guards without being seen.
UsageSay slip out or slip away quietly.
Similarslink
Note
3
declineverbfigurativelyintransitive
To go down little by little, as numbers or quality.
Like a score sliding lower bit by bit.
Sales slipped after the holidays ended.
His grades began to slip in the final term.
UsageSay his grades began to slip.
Similardrop, fall, slide, decline, dip
Oppositerise, climb, improve
4
verbtransitive
To put, move, or give something quickly and quietly, or slide something on or off, like shoes or a chain.
Like sliding a card smoothly into a wallet.
Slip the disc into the drive gently.
He slipped the photo into his pocket.
UsageSay slip it into your pocket.
Similarslide, tuck, insert, ease
Note
5
nouncountable
A small, narrow piece of paper or other material, often with information written or printed on it.
Like a little ticket or receipt you get at a store.
The cashier handed me a slip with the total printed on it.
Each student returned a permission slip signed by a parent.
UsageSay a slip of paper.
6
nouncountable
A moment when your foot slides and you lose your balance, and sometimes fall.
Like the sudden slide when you step on ice.
One slip on the stairs left her with a bruise.
His slip on the deck sent the tray crashing down.
Similarslide, skid, stumble, fall, tumble
7
nouncountable
A small mistake, or a short return to a bad habit you are trying to stop.
Like writing the wrong word by accident.
A small slip in the recipe ruined the cake.
One slip during the test cost him the prize.
UsageSay a slip of the tongue for a small spoken mistake.
Similarmistake, error, lapse, oversight
Note
8
verbtransitive
To get away from someone or something with a smooth, easy move.
Like sliding out of a grip before it tightens.
The fish slipped the net and swam free.
He managed to slip his pursuers in the busy market.
Similarevade, elude, dodge, duck, escape
9
verbintransitive
To make a mistake, especially by accidentally saying something you meant to keep secret.
Like getting one step wrong in a dance.
Even careful workers slip from time to time.
He slipped once and the whole plan fell apart.
UsagePeople often say slip up.
Similarblunder, lapse
Note
10
dock spacenouncountable
A space at a dock where a boat can be tied up.
Like a parking space, but for a boat.
The yacht returned to its slip after the storm.
They rented a slip at the marina for the summer.
Similarberth, mooring, dock
Note
11
delayverbtransitive
To let a deadline or planned date move to a later time.
Like pushing a planned meeting to a later day.
Publishers often slip a launch date when production runs late.
The studio slipped the film's release to next spring.
UsageYou can slip a deadline, or the deadline itself can slip.
Similardelay, postpone, push, defer
Oppositeadvance
Note

Less common meanings

12
under a dressnouncountable
A thin piece of clothing a woman wears under a dress or skirt.
Like a soft layer worn under clothes you can see through.
She wore a silk slip under her summer dress.
The slip kept the thin fabric from showing too much.
Similarpetticoat, underskirt, shift, chemise
13
boat rampnouncountable
A sloping ramp where boats are moved into or out of the water.
Like a ramp that lets a boat slide down into the water.
They hauled the dinghy up the slip after the race.
The old boatyard's slip was too steep for the new trailer.
Similarramp
14
cricketnouncountable or uncountable
In cricket, a fielder near the wicket-keeper who catches the ball after it touches the edge of the bat.
Like a baseball catcher waiting to grab a ball that just clips the bat.
He was caught at slip for just three runs.
The captain stationed two fielders in the slips.
UsageSay caught at slip.
Note
15
liquid claynouncountable or uncountable
A runny mixture of clay and water, used in making pottery.
Like runny clay paste, almost like thick paint.
The potter brushed slip onto the bowl before joining the handle.
She dipped the dry pot into white slip for a smooth finish.
Similarslurry
Note
16
nouncountable
A light, loose dress that hangs from thin shoulder straps.
Like a thin dress that hangs from two small shoulder straps.
She wore a black silk slip to the party.
The designer paired a satin slip with chunky boots.
17
cloth covernouncountable
A cloth cover that fits over something, like a pillow.
Like a pillowcase that slides over a pillow.
She put a clean slip over each pillow.
Grandma ironed the pillow slips before she made the bed.
UsageSay pillow slip.
Similarcover, case, sleeve, jacket
Note
18
young personnouncountable
A small, thin young person, usually a child or teenager.
Like calling a small, thin kid a 'little thing.'
She was a slip of a girl when she first arrived.
He grew from a thin slip of a lad into a broad-shouldered man.
UsageSay a slip of a girl.
Similarwisp
Note
19
plant cuttingnouncountable
A small piece cut from a plant so it can grow into a new one.
Like planting a small branch so it grows roots of its own.
She planted a slip from the rose bush in a pot.
A single slip can grow into a whole new plant.
Similarcutting, sprig, shoot, scion
Note
20
peel fruitverbtransitive
To take the skin off a soft fruit by dipping it in boiling water, then cold water.
Like peeling off a wet glove after dipping your hand in hot then cold water.
Dip the tomatoes in hot water, then slip the skins off.
We slipped the skins from a whole basket of peaches.
Similarpeel, skin
Note
21
an escapenouncountable
An escape, especially a quiet or sudden getting away from someone.
Like quietly sneaking out a side door so no one sees you leave.
The thief gave the police the slip in the crowded market.
Our dog gave us the slip and ran off to the park.
UsageSay the dog gave us the slip.
Similarescape, getaway, flight, departure
Note
22
dog leashnouncountable
A loose leash that lets go of a dog quickly when the hand relaxes.
Like a loop of rope that opens the moment you let go.
The hunter held the greyhound on a slip until the hare broke cover.
With a flick of his wrist he loosed the dog from its slip.
Similarleash, lead
Note
23
release (hunting)verbtransitive
To let a dog or hawk go so it can chase its prey.
Like opening your hand to let a dog run after a ball.
The falconer slipped the hawk the moment the rabbit bolted.
They slip the hounds as soon as the hare is sighted.
Similarrelease, loose, unleash
Oppositeleash, restrain
Note
24
verbobsolete
To leave something out, or lose a chance by not paying attention.
And slip no advantage / That may secure you.
1611, Ben[jamin] Jonson, Catiline His Conspiracy
25
verb
To take cuttings from a plant, or cut a piece off something.
26
verb
Of an animal, to have its babies much too early.
27
noun
How much less a boat moves than its propeller should push it.
28
noun
The lag of a motor's turning part behind its magnetic field, as a share of the field's speed.
29
noun
When a plane moves sideways through the air.
30
noundated
A first printed copy of a newspaper column, used to check for mistakes.
31
noundated
A kind of apron a child wears over clothes.
32
nounobsolete
A fake coin made of brass with a thin coat of silver.
33
noun
The wet waste that collects in a grinding stone's trough after tools are sharpened.
34
noun
A fixed length of spun thread.
35
noundatedUK
A small, tight path with buildings on both sides.
36
noun
Seats at the far sides of a theater balcony.
37
nounUS
A long narrow seat in a church.
38
noun
A place where a line of metal ore in rock is broken and moved.
39
noun
An error in sending data where symbols are lost or extra ones appear.
40
noun
A kind of flat fish called a sole.
41
noun
A newsletter from whoever sets a cryptic crossword clue contest, naming every winner and discussing the clues.
42
nounobsolete
Someone's child, grandchild, or anyone born later in their family line.
a native slip to us from foreign seeds
c. 1604, William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”
43
noun
A paper describing a risk that insurers are asked to cover, used to draw up the policy.
44
nounobsolete
Soft wet dirt.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of slip apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 1–4, 6–14, 16–17, 20–23

It probably came into Middle English as slippen from Middle Low German slippen. Further back are old Germanic words that meant "to glide or slide."

Meanings 5, 18–19

Its likely source is the word slippe, from either Middle Dutch or Middle Low German. These words are probably connected to an old word that meant "to split."

Meaning 15

From Old English slyp or slyppe, meaning a slimy, sticky substance. Its exact origin is uncertain.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

Slip derives from Old English slyp or slyppe. en.wiktionary.org
The Old English word denotes a slimy, sticky substance. en.wiktionary.org
Its deeper origin is uncertain. en.wiktionary.org