slippery

Word family

slip·per·y /ˈslɪpəri/ adjectiveadj

1 SLIDEsomething that is slippery is difficult to hold, walk on etc because it is wet or greasy 〔因潮湿或有油脂而〕滑的，滑溜的

In places, the path can be wet and slippery.

路上有些地方可能又湿又滑。

Harry’s palms were slippery with sweat.

哈里手心滑溜溜的都是汗。

→4 See picture on 见图 Page A12 Surfaces 表面

2 informalTRUST# someone who is slippery cannot be trusted 滑头的，不可信赖的

Martin is a slippery customer (=someone you should not trust) so be careful what you say to him.

马丁是个滑头，所以和他说话要多留神。

3 not having one clear meaning and able to be understood in different ways 模棱两可的，模糊的

the slippery notion of ‘standards’

“标准”这一模糊概念

4 (be on) a/the slippery slope British EnglishBrE informalWORSE used to talk about a process or habit that is difficult to stop and which will develop into something extremely bad 〔过程或习惯〕走向极坏的境地

(be on) a/the slippery slope to/towards

He is on the slippery slope to a life of crime.

他正滑向犯罪的深渊。

Examples from the Corpus

slippery to/towards• In the 60s and 70s the announcement would have been the start of the slippery slope to election defeat.• He paused only to shake the wet from his shoulders, then trod up the slippery slope to the house door.• Too often we are faced with clamouring up the slippery slopes to the law more than sliding down them.

—slipperiness noun [uncountableU]

Examples from the Corpus

slippery• Be careful - the floor is very slippery.• I've put the finger on seven members of the ring since lunch, but the big guy is slippery.• Notice how meaning becomes more and more slippery as we move from one layer to the next.• a slippery economic problem• Well, the whole leaf, shaped like a cup with slippery edges, is like a stomach.• Barnett swung away from the bar, his hand finding the slippery handle of the knife.• A slippery liquid with curing powers is said to flow from near her tomb.• Dean lost control of his car on a slippery road.• These boots give a good grip, even on slippery rocks.• a slippery salesperson• You do not even need anything as obvious as a party to start you on this slippery slope.• They looked like nurse and patient, managing the slippery steps.• In places, the towpath is slippery with mud.

slippery customer• Martin's a slippery customer, a very nasty slippery customer.• Far left: The Butterfish is literally a slippery customer and very hard to catch.

Origin slippery

(1500-1600) slipper “slippery” ((11-19 centuries)), from Old English slipor

slip·per·y adjectiveadj

Chinese

Syllable

Corpus