slur

slur Definition

slur (slʉr)

transitive verb slurred, slur′·ring

to pass over quickly and carelessly; make little of: often with over
to pronounce rapidly and indistinctly, as by combining or dropping sounds
Dialectal to stain, smirch, or sully
to blur or smear, as in printing
to disparage or discredit; cast aspersions on
Music
1. to sing or play (different and successive notes) by gliding from one to another without a break
2. to mark (notes) with a slur

Etymology: prob. < MDu sleuren, to drag, move slowly, trail in mud: for IE base see slug

noun

the act or process of slurring
something slurred, as a pronunciation
a blot, stain, or smear
any remark or action that harms or is meant to harm someone's reputation; aspersion, reproach, stigma, etc.
Music
1. a curved line written above or below two or more successive notes of different pitch that are to be sounded without a noticeable break
2. a group of such notes

slur Synonyms

slur Synonyms

To discredit
cast aspersions on, disparage, slander; see accuse.
To pronounce indistinctly
blur, garble, mumble, mispronounce, drop words, drop sounds, hurry over; see also say.

slur Usage Examples

Object

speech: Slurred speech is caused due to an inability to correctly control the muscles used in speech.
voice: The hand on your knee is your ex-wife, her voice slurred by the ringing in your ears.
word: Does not the British National party shame itself and slur the word " British " ?
note: How do I tie or slur two notes together that are on different systems?

Converse of object

cast: The Lib Dems warned against casting a slur on all asylum seekers.
make: Steps are being taken to halt verbal slurs made to homeless sellers of the Big Issue magazine in Bristol.

Adjective modifier

racial: There are also strict laws against racial slurs, especially anti-Semitism.
outrageous: Comment by Bloggers4Labour | 2 November 2005 at 11:30 pm # That's an outrageous slur and a complete rewrite of history.
racist: PCs sick over ' racist ' jibe 04-06-2002 THREE cops went sick after a racist slur sparked a probe.
ethnic: Players are not permitted to use racial, sexual or ethnic slurs.
religious: The Blue Room does not tolerate racial, ethnic, sexual, or religious slurs.
personal: The fat youth described the town in Poland where I had spent Christmas, and made some unpleasant personal slurs against me.

Modifying Another Word

slightly: And if you've had a drink before you go on, your voice will be slightly slurred.
not: Similarly we can give attention in the rest of our use of language by not slurring ' Black ' inappropriately.
very: The rest of the night was very slurred indeed.

Followed by an intransitive particle

over: Omissions were frequent; hard passages were willfully distorted or slurred over.

Preposition: of

speech: In atypical cases the patient may suffer with early fainting attacks, slurring of speech or falls.

Noun used with modifier

hominem: Response: As usual, the Islamic Awareness team begins their article with typical ad hominem slurs.
ad: Response: As usual, the Islamic Awareness team begins their article with typical ad hominem slurs.

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