PiTH small : a slim chance of success J&Jj] nj ##77 o The party was returned to power with a slim majority.

%IM Wi M £ ftM if± & o — see also slimmer, slim­ming ► slimness noun [U]

mverb (-mm-) [V] (BrE) (usually used in the progressive tenses lit # ft] 7 jft fr Bft) to try to become thinner, for example by eating less (        MAE SO21

diet : You can still eat breakfast when you are slim­ming. #MUE-tfe    ,slim 'down to

become thinner, for example as a result of eating less ( $ "ft "ft 3$ )          MU ,slim 'down | ,slim sth~

'down to make a company or an organization smaller, by reducing the number of jobs in it; to be made smaller in this way jjf If (   ( A JU ; M7

( ^ {v ) : They’re restructuring and slimming down the workforce. #{H 7 Xf UK I # ftl 15c M 0 o The industry may have to slim down even further. &77rifc nj ^

—     0 the new, slimmed-down company fajA

— see also slimming

* noun [U] an African word for AIDS ( ##H )

slime /slaim/ noun [U] any unpleasant thick liquid substance ) Hi ft: The pond

was full of mud and green slime. #7E$t;ll$^fH^fe — see also slimy(I)

slime-ball /'slaimborl/ (also slime-bag /’slaimbaeg/) noun (informal) an unpleasant or disgusting person 4-A

umtiA;      mm

slim-line /’slimlain/ adj. [only before noun] 1 smaller or thinner in design than usual 7 *5 W; f iW: a slimline phone /J\ Vj {tfj ft, iff 2 (BrE) (of a drink tX 44) containing very little sugar #        : slimline tonic

water {ftff

slim-mer /'slima(r)/ noun (BrE) a person who is trying to lose weight M IE #; M # S it: a calorie-controlled diet for slimmers © $'J H (KJ M BE 1§£ if — see also slim adj.

slim-ming /'slimir)/ noun [U] (BrE) the practice of trying to lose weight MAE;     a slimming club MHE{S

7oP — see also slim

slimy /'slaimi/ adj. (slimi-er, slimi-est) 1 like or covered with SLIME #'H'jktf); 4£Wtiift#J: thick slimy mud || o The walls, were black, cold and slimy. j|XI X , X ® fPI Ji M W Vs ii o 2 (informal, disapproving) (of a person or their manner A fk) polite and extremely friendly in a way that is not sincere or honestfillW

sling /sliq/ verb, noun

m verb (slung, slung /sLug/) [usually +adv./prep.] 1 (informal, especially BrE) to throw sth somewhere in a careless way ( fit## ) #3, A 003 chuck: [VU] Don’t just sling your clothes on the floor.

T o 0 [VNN] Sling me an apple, will you? #3 7 7 tfc H ,  ®3 ? — see also mud-slinging 2 [VN] [often

passive] to put sth somewhere where it hangs loosely ££; ft : Her bag was slung over her shoulder. #    &

It Jft -h o 0 We slung a hammock between two trees.

{D i W U W It iaJ$£ 7 — 7 ft A o 3 [VN] [often passive] (informal) to put sb somewhere by force; to make sb leave somewhere it        UKil: They were

slung out of the club for fighting. Ml   ft 7 #

fHTOl sling your hook (BrE, informal) (used espe­cially in orders A ft] 7 # 7) to go away M ftp; i^i-.yj .sling 'off at sb (AustralE, NZE, informal) to laugh at sb in an unkind way 0$]^; ifi%

m noun 1 a band of cloth that is tied around a person’s neck and used to support a broken or injured arm ( # ft ^{^7 W (KJ )         , ft J&ft?: He had his arm in a sling.

# ft fc ft if It H o — picture o page R25 2 a device consisting of a band, ropes, etc. for holding and lifting heavy objects (       ) ftf?, ft&, ft^;

The engine was lifted in a sling of steel rope, ft ^ft]f|j<]M ft^ft7^5fto 3a device like a bag for carrying a baby on your back or in front of you ( JLtft )

ft 5^3 4 (in the past) a simple weapon made from a band of leather, etc., used for throwing stones j### ( [0 B4

) sm CATAPULT

sling-back /'sliqbaek/ noun a woman’s shoe that is open at the back with a narrow piece of leather, etc. around the heel   ) — picture c> shoe

sling-shot /'slirjjnt; NAmE -Ja:t/ noun (NAmE) - cata­pult n.( 1)

slink /slirjk/ verb (slunk, slunk /slAijk/) [V + adv./prep.] to move somewhere very quietly and slowly, especially because you are ashamed or do not want to be seen fir ft BOEIcreep: John was trying to slink into the house by the back door.   M.

fti H ft 71 o 0 The dog howled and slunk away. IP

mmm nH##ii£7.

slinky /'slirjki/ adj. (slink-ier, slinki-est) 1 (of a woman’s clothes li) fitting closely to the body in a sexually attractive way M7Mttll($; M        1

2 (of movement or sound  ) smooth and slow,

often in a way that is sexually attractive ^ W> W

fm-, mmi

slip 0^ /slip/ verb, noun

u verb ( pp-)

►                SLIDE/FALL ff; ffj 1 [V] ~ (over) to slide a short distance

by accident so that you fall or nearly fall ?#{§];  :

She slipped over on the ice and broke her leg. f£JffiM[«7 o 0 As I ran up the stairs, my foot slipped and I fell      o

►                OUT OF POSITION fe'fe fy. M 2 [V, usually + adv./prep.] to slide out of position or out of your hand

His hat had slipped over one eye. ii ft 7 — R in o 0 The fish slipped out of my hand. M /A $c 7 E ft 7 o 0 The child slipped from his grasp and ran off. {&—, itSP ®7 0 0 (figura­tive) She was careful not to let her control slip. M77 J!

H, *itaB5fe£.

►                GO/PUT QUICKLY ^ I': 3 [V + adv./prep.] to go

somewhere quickly and quietly, especially without being noticed fH ff; ft H771 creep • She slipped out of the house before the others were awake. M I*] A 2 H , ft ft 7 ^ 7 o 0 The ship slipped into the harbour at night, fn ft fX |aJ S $7 0 (figurative) She knew that time was slipping away.

4 to put sth somewhere quickly, quietly or secretly jfi IMS; §r§T$ : [VN + adv./prep.] Anna slipped her hand into his.      ihftfeii{±o 0

I managed to slip a few jokes into my speech. fyEklk/Eifi- ft 7    <> I managed to slip in a few jokes.

$ci£T&^ji7UtMo o [VNN, VN] They’d slipped the guards some money.      0 They’d

slipped some money to the guards. #71 ffAti^H[nlX   

►                BECOME WORSE $ 7 5 [V] to fall to a lower level; to

become worse 7        ; ii 7; $ H : His popularity has

slipped recently.        o That’s

three times she’s beaten me—I must be slipping! # B ^

►                INTO DIFFICULT SITUATION ^ A®i#6 [V + adv./prep.] to

pass into a particular state or situation, especially a difficult or unpleasant one P@A, i£A(|I])ltl$;7‘lli'l& (KlfcLft ) : He began to slip into debt. #:7$^5lt7o 0 The patient had slipped into a coma. A PS A #      4^

0 We seem to have slipped behind schedule. {l 1 Xf-

►                CLOTHES ON/OFF 7 / AUK 7 l+adv./prep] to put clothes on or to take them off quickly and easily (

# ) % 1:, fl&T: [V] to slip into/out of a dress

0 [VN] to slip your shoes on/off^± / I&7$£ o He slipped a coat over his sweatshirt. #>$—#

►                GET FREE [f Uft 8 to get free; to make sth/sb/yourself free from sth H[VN] The ship had slipped its moorings in the night.

7 {?   # o <> [V-ADJ] The animal had slipped free and

escaped.   M7 0 [alsoVN-ADJ]

m7T8 let slip sth to give sb information that is supposed to be secret #ff; JcM 7i^ft: I happened to let it slip that he had given me £1 000 for the car. - t777u^ft7#?£ 1000£8^i£|fcjWPf^«r*. <>She tried not to let slip what she knew.

W^ttMftio let sth slip (through your fingers) to miss or fail to use an opportunity ft   ) ; 4c A