Page 382 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

slower and slower

Sam’s slłepng with Sally now. Whom slipperyŁas an eel Go to (as) slippery as
did you say he slłpt with? an eel.
a slØceŁofŁtheŁcake aŁshare of sàmething. SlowŁandŁsteadyŁwins theŁryce. Dlib-
(Also literal.) There’s not much work eratenessŁandŁdeterminationŁwillŁleadŁto
around and so everyone must get a slice of success,Łor (literally)baŁreasonable pace
the cake. The company makes hugł will winŁaŁrace.Ł(Pràverb.) I worked my
profits and the workers want a slice of the wØy through collłge in six years. Now I
cake. know what they mean when they say,
“Slow and steady wins the race.” Aàn
slØckŁ as a whØstle Go to (as) slàck as a won the race because she started off slowly
whistle. and established a good pace. The other
slipŁ away and slipŁ off;Ł slipŁ out to gà runners Łried to sprint the whole distance,
awayŁorŁescape quietlyŁorŁinŁsecret.Ł I and they tired out before the final lap.
slpped away when no one was lookng. Ann’s trainer said, “You see! I told you!
Let’s slp off somewhere and have a lttlł Slow and steady wins the race.”
talk. I’ll try to slp out for an hour or two slowŁas molasses in Jynuary Go to (as)
when Tom is aslłep. slow as molasses in January.
slipŁoff Go to slàp away. slowŁgoing the rate of speedŁwhenŁone is
making progress.Ł It was slow going at
a slipŁofŁtheŁtongue anŁerrorŁinŁspeaking
where aŁwordŁisŁpronouncedŁincorrectly, first, but I was able to finish the project
or where somethingŁthat the speaker did by the włekłnd. Getting the heavy rocko
nàt man to say is said. I didà’t mean out of the field is slow going.
to tell her that. It was a slp of the tongue. slow on theŁdraw 1. slow inŁdrawingŁa
I failed to undłrstand the instructions gun. (Slang. Compare this with quick on
becauoe the speaker made a slp of the the draw. CowboyŁandŁgangsðerŁtalk.)
tongue at an important point. Bill got shot because he’s so slow on the
draw. The gunslnger said, “I have to
slipŁ one’ mind [forŁsàmethingŁthat wasŁto
be remembered]b to be forgàtten.Ł I be fast. If I’m slow on the draw, I’m dead.”
meant to go to the grocłry store on the wØy 2. and slow on the uptake slow to fig-
home, but it slpped my mnd. My birth- ure somethingŁ out; slow-ðhinking.
dØy slpped my mnd. I guess I wanted to (Slang.ŁCompare thisŁwith quick on the
forgłt it. draw.) Sally didà’t get the joke because
she’s sort of slow on the draw. Bill—
slipŁout 1. [forŁsecret infàrmation]bto b who’s slow on the uptake—didà’t get the
revealed.Ł I asked her to kłep our en- joke until it was explained to him.
gagłmłnt secret, but she lłt it slp out. slowŁ on theŁ uptake Go to slow on the
I didà’t mean to tell. It just slpped out. 2. draw.
Go to slàp away.
slow someone ortsomething dłwn Go to slow
slipŁthroughŁ someone’ fingers to get away someone or something up.
from someone; forŁsàmeone to lose track
(of somethingŁ or someone).Ł (Also lit- slow someone ortsomething up and slow some-
eral.) I had a copy of the book you want, one ortsomething dłwn to cause someone
but somehow it slpped through my fingers. orŁ somethingŁ to reduce speed.Ł (The
There was a dłtective following me, but phrass with up are infàrmal.) I’m in
I managed to slp through his fingers. a hurry. Doà’t try to slow me down. T
Please slow up the train. There are sheep
slipŁup to make an error.Ł(Infàrmal.ŁAlsà near the track.
without up.) Try as hard as you can to
do it right and not slp up. Everything slowerŁandŁslower at aŁdecreasingŁrate of
was going fine until the last mnute when speed; slow and then even slower.Ł The
I slpped up. car is going slower and slower and will stop

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