slip*/*/

[slɪp] verb I

1) if you slip, your feet slide accidentally and you fall or lose your balance

Margaret slipped and broke her arm.[/ex]

Be careful you don't slip on the wet floor.[/ex]

2) [I] if something slips, it slides out of the position it should be in

The knife slipped and cut my finger.[/ex]

The ball slipped out of my hands.[/ex]

3) [I] to go somewhere quickly and quietly, without anyone noticing you or stopping you

Several people managed to slip past the guards.[/ex]

I slipped away before the end of the meeting.[/ex]

4) [T] to slide something into a place or position, often so that other people do not notice

John slipped his arm around his wife's waist.[/ex]

He slipped the money into his pocket.[/ex]

5) [I] to gradually become less strong or good

Profits slipped by 13% last year.[/ex]

•

let (it) slip — to tell someone something that is secret by mistake[/ex]

[i]He let it slip that they intended to move to Canada.[/ex]

slip your mind — if something slips your mind, you forget to do it[/ex]

slip through your finger s — if something such as an opportunity or a prize slips through your fingers, you fail to get it or to take advantage of it[/ex]

slip through the net / crack s — to fail to be caught or protected by the system that was intended to catch or protect you[/ex]

- slip into sth

- slip sth off

- slip sth on

- slip out

- slip up

II

noun [C]

slip [slɪp]

1) a small piece of paper

I left the message for you on a slip of paper.[/ex]

2) a small mistake

Tom played well, despite a few slips at the beginning.[/ex]

3) a small change from a higher level to a lower one

a slip in the price of technology stocks[/ex]

4) a piece of women's underwear consisting of a loose skirt or dress with no sleeves

•

give sb the slip — informal to escape from someone who is following or chasing you[/ex]