📖 S — The English dictionary · page 55

slate — Everyday, meaning 1: Slate is a hard dark grey rock that splits into thin flat sheets.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A slate is a thin piece of this rock used to cover a roof, or in the past for children to write on with chalk.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: A slate is a list of candidates or a plan of things, as in «a slate of films».↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (UK, informal) To slate something means to criticise it very harshly.↗ Everyday, meaning 5: (mostly US) To be slated for something means it is planned or expected.↗ Everyday, meaning 6: A clean slate means a fresh start where past mistakes are forgotten.↗ Example: The old cottage has a slate roof.↗ · Victorian children wrote sums on slates with chalk.↗ · Slate is made when shale is squeezed and heated.↗ · A slate fell off the roof in the storm.↗ · Critics slated the new film.↗ · The new library is slated to open next spring.↗ · Let's wipe the slate clean and be friends again.↗ · The coach picked a strong slate of players.↗ · As Uncle Remus came up Whitehall Street recently, he met a little colored boy carrying a slate and a number of books.↗

slaughter — Everyday, meaning 1: To slaughter animals means to kill them for food.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To slaughter people means to kill many of them cruelly, for example in a war.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (noun) Slaughter is the killing of animals for meat, or the cruel killing of many people.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (informal) To slaughter a team or player means to beat them very easily.↗ e.g. "we got slaughtered 8–0".↗ Example: Cattle are slaughtered to provide beef.↗ · The battle ended in terrible slaughter.↗ · We got slaughtered 7–0 in the final.↗ · The farmer sent the pigs to be slaughtered.↗ · "Like lambs to the slaughter" means going without knowing the danger.↗ · The wolves slaughtered several sheep in the night.↗ · The storm still continuing, he was obliged to slaughter his yoke oxen for food.↗ · And the king of Sodom went out to meet him, after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him, at the vale of Shaveh — the same is the King's Vale.↗ (Torah GEN.14.17, JPS 1917)↗ · Presumably, the anatomy of slaughtered livestock would have been fairly familiar to many writers and readers of the time, while blessedly few indeed would have had first-hand knowledge of human innards.]↗ Like what did He make them?↗ (A city) [strife].↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Sefaria community translation)↗ · Thus said the LORD my God: 'Feed the flock of slaughter; (Prophets ZEC.11.4, JPS 1917)↗ · So I fed the flock of slaughter, verily the poor of the flock.↗ (Prophets ZEC.11.7, JPS 1917)↗ · I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams with he-goats.↗ (Prophets JER.51.40, JPS 1917)↗

slaughterhouse — Everyday, meaning 1: A place where farm animals such as cows, pigs, sheep and chickens are killed for their meat.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (figurative) A place or event where many people are killed.↗ Example: Cattle are taken to a slaughterhouse before their meat is sold.↗ · Laws say animals must be treated without cruelty at the slaughterhouse.↗ · The old slaughterhouse in town is now a museum.↗ · Some people became vegetarian after learning about slaughterhouses.↗ · Vets check the animals at the slaughterhouse.↗ · In Kurt Vonnegut's novel, a slaughterhouse in Dresden gives the book its name.↗

slave — Everyday, meaning 1: A slave is a person who is owned by another person and forced to work without pay or freedom.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (informal) To slave or slave away is to work very hard.↗ e.g. "Dad slaved over the dinner."↗ Everyday, meaning 3: A slave to something is a person who is controlled by it, like "a slave to fashion".↗ Example: The Israelites were slaves in Egypt.↗ · Harriet Tubman helped many slaves escape to freedom.↗ · It is wrong for any person to own another as a slave.↗ · Mum slaved away in the kitchen all afternoon.↗ · The slave trade was ended after a long campaign.↗ · Don't be a slave to your phone!↗ · Our coach is a real slave driver.↗ · The slave went back to her mistress.↗

slavery — Everyday, meaning 1: Slavery is the cruel system in which people are owned by other people, forced to work for no pay and have no freedom.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Slavery is also the state of being a slave.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Slavery can describe very hard work or control that feels like being owned, as in "modern slavery".↗ Example: Slavery is against the law in every country today.↗ · Harriet Tubman led many people out of slavery.↗ · (Bible) Moses led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt.↗ · William Wilberforce campaigned to end slavery in the British Empire.↗ · At Passover, Jewish families remember the escape from slavery.↗ · Modern slavery still happens, and police work to stop it.↗ · Frederick Douglass wrote about his life in slavery.↗ · It was collected at last, and the knight released from slavery and misery.↗ · These are double, because their opposites take part in life, opposed to Life is Death; to Peace, War; to Riches, Poverty; to Beauty or Reputation, Deformity or Disrepute; to Wisdom, Ignorance; to Fruitfulness, Sterility; to Power, Slavery.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1887)↗

slavic — Everyday, meaning 1: Slavic means about the Slavs, a large group of peoples in eastern and central Europe, or about their languages.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Slavic languages are a family of related languages, such as Ukrainian, Polish, Czech, Russian, Bulgarian and Serbian.↗ Example: Ukrainian and Polish are Slavic languages.↗ · Slavic languages share many similar words.↗ · Some Slavic languages use the Cyrillic alphabet.↗ · She is learning about Slavic folk tales.↗ · The Slavic peoples live mostly in eastern and central Europe.↗ · "Babushka" is a Slavic word for grandmother.↗

slavonic — Everyday, meaning 1: To do with the Slavs, the peoples of central and eastern Europe such as Ukrainians, Poles, Czechs, Slovaks, Serbs, Croats, Bulgarians and Russians, or with their languages.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Old Church Slavonic is an old Slavic language used in church services and early books of Orthodox Christians.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Slavonia is also a region of Croatia; «Slavonian» describes it.↗ Example: Ukrainian and Polish are both Slavonic languages.↗ · Dvořák's Slavonic Dances are lively pieces of music.↗ · The priest read the prayers in Church Slavonic.↗ · Many Slavonic languages use the Cyrillic alphabet.↗ · My friend is learning a Slavonic language: Czech.↗ · Slavonic peoples live across eastern and central Europe.↗ · Troyan is also the name of a mythical king who often figures in Slavonic legends.↗

slay — Everyday, meaning 1: (old, literary) To kill violently, especially in battle or a story.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (slang) To do something brilliantly or look amazing: «You slayed that dance!».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (informal) To make someone laugh a lot: «That joke slays me.».↗ Example: The knight set off to slay the dragon.↗ · In the Bible, David slew the giant Goliath.↗ · You slayed that song at the talent show!↗ · Her costume totally slays.↗ · That cartoon slays me every time.↗ · Many soldiers were slain in the battle.↗ · "Do not slay me," he said.↗ · Behold, I will slay thy son, thy first-born.' — (Torah EXO.4.23, JPS 1917)↗ · Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses.↗ (Torah EXO.2.15, JPS 1917)↗ · Cursed be he that taketh a bribe to slay an innocent person.↗ (Torah DEU.27.25, JPS 1917)↗ · The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.↗ (Writings PSA.37.32, JPS 1917)↗ · They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless.↗ (Writings PSA.94.6, JPS 1917)↗ · He shall suck the poison of asps; the viper's tongue shall slay him.↗ (Writings JOB.20.16, JPS 1917)↗

sled — Everyday, meaning 1: (mainly US, Canada) A small vehicle that slides over snow, used by children for fun on hills; in the UK called a sledge, in Australia sometimes a toboggan.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A bigger vehicle pulled by dogs or reindeer over snow and ice.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (verb) To ride on a sled.↗ e.g. We went sledding.↗ Example: We went sledding on the big hill.↗ · The dog sled raced across the ice.↗ · My sled can carry two children.↗ · Always sled feet-first and away from trees.↗ · The sled went 60 metres in 10 seconds.↗ · Dad pulled the sled up the hill again.↗ · In the UK we call it a sledge.↗

sledding — Everyday, meaning 1: Riding down a snowy hill on a sled (sledge).↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (American, informal) How easy or hard progress is: «tough sledding».↗ Example: We went sledding on the big hill after school.↗ · Always go sledding feet first, not head first.↗ · Pick a sledding hill with no trees at the bottom.↗ · Sledding is faster on icy snow.↗ · Dad pulled us back up the hill after sledding.↗ · The sledding hill was full of children on snow days.↗ · Wear warm gloves and a hat for sledding.↗ · Gravity pulls the sled down; friction slows it at the bottom.↗

sledge — Everyday, meaning 1: A sledge is a small vehicle with long, narrow runners instead of wheels, used for sliding over snow or ice, often down hills for fun.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A large sledge can be pulled by dogs, horses or reindeer to carry people and things over snow.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: To sledge means to ride a sledge.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: In cricket in Australia and New Zealand, sledging means saying rude things to put a player off.↗ Example: We went sledging on the hill after the snow fell.↗ · Sit on the sledge feet first.↗ · The huskies pulled the sledge across the ice.↗ · Make sure no trees or roads are at the bottom of the sledge run.↗ · The sledge slid fast because snow has little friction.↗ · My sister and I shared a red plastic sledge.↗ · Explorers used sledges to cross Antarctica.↗ · The cricketer was told off for sledging the batsman.↗ · Well, the firewood was cut up and piled on the sledge.↗ · Sharpest potsherds are under him; he spreadeth a threshing-sledge upon the mire.↗ (Writings JOB.41.22, JPS 1917)↗ · Behold, I make thee a new threshing-sledge having sharp teeth; thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff.↗ (Prophets ISA.41.15, JPS 1917)↗ · For thus saith the LORD: For three transgressions of Damascus, yea, for four, I will not reverse it: because they have threshed Gilead with sledges of iron.↗ (Prophets AMO.1.3, JPS 1917)↗

sleek — Everyday, meaning 1: (of hair or fur) Smooth, shiny and healthy-looking.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (of shapes, cars, boats) Having a smooth, elegant shape, often fast-looking.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (of people) Well-dressed and looking rich or too smooth.↗ Example: The otter's fur was sleek and wet.↗ · A sleek black cat sat on the wall.↗ · The sleek new train sped past.↗ · Dolphins have sleek bodies for fast swimming.↗ · The horse's coat was sleek after brushing.↗ · The Water Rat was sleek and brown.↗ · From that day the Hen became fat and sleek, and never once laid another egg.↗

sleep — Everyday, meaning 1: To sleep is to rest with your eyes closed and your mind switched off, as you do at night.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Sleep is the state of sleeping, or how much rest you get.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: A sleepover is when a friend stays the night.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: «Go to sleep» means start sleeping; «put to sleep» can mean to give an animal a gentle death.↗ Example: She sleeps 9 hours a night.↗ · He slept from 9 pm to 7 am.↗ · How many hours does he sleep in a week?↗ · The baby sleeps 3 hours more than her brother.↗ · Turn off your screen an hour before you go to sleep.↗ · Bears sleep through the cold winter.↗ · We slept in sleeping bags in the tent.↗ · My leg has gone to sleep!↗ · The old man went to sleep.↗ · And if he be a poor man, thou shalt not sleep with his pledge; (Torah DEU.24.12, JPS 1917)↗ · And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said: 'Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not.'↗ (Torah GEN.28.16, JPS 1917)↗ · Thus I was: in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep fled from mine eyes.↗ (Torah GEN.31.40, JPS 1917)↗ · Awake, why sleepest Thou, O Lord?↗ (Writings PSA.44.24, JPS 1917)↗ · How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard?↗ (Writings PRO.6.9, JPS 1917)↗ · When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?↗ (Writings PRO.6.9, JPS 1917)↗

sleeper — Everyday, meaning 1: A person or animal who is asleep, or who sleeps in a certain way: a light sleeper.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A train with beds, or a bed on such a train.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (UK, Australia) A heavy wooden or concrete beam under railway tracks (US: tie).↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (UK) A small earring that keeps a pierced ear open.↗ Everyday, meaning 5: Something that becomes a hit slowly; a hidden spy.↗ Example: Dad is a heavy sleeper; nothing wakes him.↗ · We took the sleeper train to Scotland.↗ · Railway sleepers hold the tracks in place.↗ · I'm a light sleeper, so I need quiet.↗ · The sleeper hit became famous a year later.↗ · She wears tiny gold sleepers in her ears.↗ · But generally he sucks the blood of sleepers.↗

sleepest — Early Modern English, meaning 1: «sleepest» means «you sleep», a form of «sleep».↗ e.g. To sleep is to rest with your eyes closed and your mind switched off, as you do at night.↗ Example: Feeling perfectly bewildered by my sudden return to life and light, I murmured to myself in Arabic, "Close thine eyes, and while thou sleepest Heaven will change thy fortune from evil to good."↗ (The Arabian Nights Entertainments)

sleepily — Everyday, meaning 1: In a drowsy way; half awake and ready to fall asleep.↗ Example: She rubbed her eyes and yawned sleepily.↗ · The baby murmured sleepily.↗ · "Is it morning yet?" he asked sleepily.↗