slipperiness

- 3 dictionary results

slip⋅per⋅y

[slip-uh-ree, slip-ree]

–adjective, -per⋅i⋅er, -per⋅i⋅est.

1.	tending or liable to cause slipping or sliding, as ice, oil, a wet surface, etc.: a slippery road.

2.	tending to slip from the hold or grasp or from position: a slippery rope.

3.	likely to slip away or escape: slippery prospects.

4.	not to be depended on; fickle; shifty, tricky, or deceitful.

5.	unstable or insecure, as conditions: a slippery situation.

Origin:
1525–35; alter. of slipper ² ; cf. LG slipperig; see -y ¹

Related forms:

slip⋅per⋅i⋅ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source

slip·per·y (slĭp'ə-rē)

adj. slip·per·i·er, slip·per·i·est

Causing or tending to cause sliding or slipping: a slippery sidewalk.
Tending to slip, as from one's grasp: a slippery bar of soap.
Not trustworthy; elusive or tricky: "How extraordinarily slippery a liar the camera is" (James Agee).

[Alteration of obsolete slipper, from Middle English, from Old English slipor; see lei- in Indo-European roots.]
slip'per·i·ness n.

Word Origin & History

slippery

1535, from slip (v.) (cf. O.E. slipor "slippery"). Metaphoric sense of "deceitful" is first recorded 1555; slippery slope first attested 1951.

Search another word or see slipperiness on Thesaurus | Reference

About
·
Privacy Policy
·
Terms of Use
·
Careers
·
Advertise with Us
·
Link to Us
·
Contact Us

Partner Sites: