(Under this name, Sterne ridiculed Dr. Burton, a man mid-wife of York.)
Slopard (Dame), wife of Grimbard, the brock or badger, in the beast-epic of Reynard the Fox (1498).
Sloppy, a love-child, brought up by Betty Higden, for whom he turned the mangle. When Betty died, Mr. Boffin apprenticed him to a cabinet-maker. Sloppy is described as “a very long boy, with a very little head, and an open mouth of disproportionate capacity that seemed to assist his eyes in staring.” It is hinted that he became “the prince” of Jenny Wren, the doll’s dressmaker.
Of an ungainly make was Sloppy. There was too much of him longwise, too little of him broadwise, and too many sharp angles of him angle-wise.... He had a considerable capital of knee, and elbow, and wrist, and ankle. Full-private Number One in the awkward squad was Sloppy.--C. Dickens, Our Mutual Friend, I. i. 16 (1864).
Slote (Hon. Bardwell). Member of Congress, who condenses phrases into initials, expressing himself phonetically as “H. K.” for Hard Cash, and “G. F.” for Jug Full.--B. E. Woolf, The Mighty Dollar (1875).
Slough of Despond (The), a deep bog, which Christian had to pass on his way to the Wicket Gate. Neighbor Pliable would not attempt it, and turned back. While Christian was floundering in the slough, Help came to his aid, and assisted him over.
The name of the slough was Despond. Here they wallowed for a time, and Christian, because of the burden that was on his back, began to sink into the mire. This miry slough is such a place as cannot be mended. It is the descent whither the scum and filth that attends conviction of sin doth continually run, and therefore is it called the Slough of Despond; for still, as the sinner is awakened about his lost condition, there arise in his soul many fears and doubts and discouraging apprehensions, which all of them get together, and settle in this place, and this is the reason of the badness of this ground.--Bunyan, Pilgrim’s Progress, i. (1678).
Slowboy (Tilly), nurse and general help of Mr. and Mrs. Peerybingle. She “was of a spare and straight shape, insomuch that her garments appeared to be in constant danger of sliding off her shoulders. Her costume was remarkable for its very partial development, and always afforded glimpses at the back of a pair of dead-green stays.” Miss Tilly was very fond of baby, but had a surprising talent for getting it into difficulties, bringing its head into perpetual contact with doors, dressers, stair-rails, bedposts, and so on. Tilly, who had been a foundling, looked upon the house of Peerybingle, the carrier, as a royal residence, and loved both Mr. and Mrs. Peerybingle with all the intensity of an undivided affection.--C. Dickens, The Cricket on the Hearth (1845).
Sludge (Gammer), the landlady of Erasmus Holiday, the schoolmaster in White Horse Vale.
Dickie Sludge, or “Flibbertigibbet,” her dwarf grandson.--Sir W. Scott, Kenilworth (time, Elizabeth).