Slash, slash, v.t. to cut by striking with violence and at random: to make long cuts: to ornament by cutting slits in the cloth in order to show some fine material underneath.—v.i. to strike violently and at random with an edged instrument: to strike right and left: to move rapidly.—n. a long cut: a cut at random: a cut in cloth to show colours underneath: a stripe on a non-commissioned officer's sleeve: a clearing in a wood.—adj. Slashed, cut with slashes: gashed.—ns. Slash′er, anything which slashes; Slash′ing, a slash in a garment: the felling of trees as a military obstacle, also the trees so felled.—adj. cutting mercilessly, unsparing: dashing: very big, slapping. [O. Fr. eslecher, to dismember—Old High Ger. slīzan, to split.]
Slash, slash, v.i. (Scot.) to work in wet.—n. a large quantity of watery food, as broth, &c.—adj. Slash′y, dirty, muddy. [Sw. slaska, dabble—slask, wet.]
Slat, slat, v.t. to strike, beat.—v.i. to flap violently.—n. a sudden sharp blow. [Scand., Ice. sletta, to slap, Norw. sletta, to cast.]
Slat, slat, n. a thin piece of stone, a slate: a strip of wood.—adj. made of slats.—adj. Slat′ted, covered with slats. [O. Fr. esclat—Old High Ger. slīzan, to slit.]
Slatch, slach, n. the slack of a rope: an interval of fair weather: a short breeze. [Slack.]
Slate, slāt, n. a highly metamorphosed argillaceous rock, fine-grained and fissile, and of a dull blue, gray, purple, or green colour—used in thin slabs of small size for ordinary roofs, and in larger slabs for dairy-fittings, wash-tubs, cisterns, tables, &c., and when polished for writing-slates and 'black-boards:' a piece of slate for roofing, or for writing upon: a preliminary list of candidates before a caucus.—adj. bluish-gray, slate-coloured.—v.t. to cover with slate: to enter on a slate.—ns. Slate′-axe, a slater's tool, a sax; Slate′-clay, a fissile shale.—adjs. Slā′ted, covered with slates; Slate′-gray, of a light slate colour.—ns. Slate′-pen′cil, a cut or turned stick of soft slate, or of compressed moistened slate-powder, for writing on slate; Slā′ter; Slā′tiness, the quality of being slaty; Slā′ting, the act of covering with slates: a covering of slates: materials for slating.—adj. Slā′ty, resembling slate: having the nature or properties of slate. [O. Fr. esclat—Old High Ger. slīzan, Ger. schleissen, to split.]
Slate, slāt, v.t. to abuse, criticise severely: (prov.) to set a dog at.—n. Slā′ting, a severe criticism. [A.S. slítan, to slit.]
Slater, slā′tėr, n. a terrestrial oniscid isopod, as the common Porcellio scaber.
Slather, slath′ėr, n. (slang) a large quantity.
Slattern, slat′ėrn, n. a woman negligent of her dress: an untidy woman.—v.i. Slatt′er (prov.), to be untidy or slovenly.—n. Slatt′ernliness.—adj. Slatt′ernly, like a slattern: negligent of person: slovenly: dirty: sluttish.—adv. negligently: untidily.—adj. Slatt′ery (prov.) wet. [From slatter, a freq. of slat, to strike (q.v.).]