slippery

(slipər ē, slip)

adjective slipperier, slipperiest

  1. causing or liable to cause sliding or slipping, as a wet, waxed, or greasy surface
  2. tending to slip away, as from a grasp
  3. not reliable or trustworthy; deceitful
  4. subject to change: a slippery situation
  5. Obsolete immoral

Origin: altered < ME sliper, slippery < OE slipor, akin to MHG slupferic: for IE base see slip

Related Forms:

See slippery in American Heritage Dictionary 4

adjective slip·per·i·er, slip·per·i·est
  1. Causing or tending to cause sliding or slipping: a slippery sidewalk.
  2. Tending to slip, as from one's grasp: a slippery bar of soap.
  3. Not trustworthy; elusive or tricky: “How extraordinarily slippery a liar the camera is” (James Agee).

Origin:

Origin: Alteration of obsolete slipper

Origin: , from Middle English

Origin: , from Old English slipor; see lei- in Indo-European roots

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Related Forms:

  • slipˈper·i·ness noun

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