# slash

/ˈsɫæʃ/ (US) · /slˈæʃ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/slash
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. to cut with a blade

verb · CEFR B2

to make a long, deep cut with a knife or another sharp object using a quick, swinging motion.

For teachers: to cut with a forceful, sweeping stroke of a sharp instrument.

- The thief slashed the canvas of the painting to remove it from the frame.
- Vandals had slashed the tyres of several vehicles parked along the quiet residential street overnight.

### 2. to reduce greatly

verb · CEFR B2

to reduce something, like prices or costs, by a large amount very quickly.

For teachers: to reduce prices, costs, or quantities drastically and often suddenly.

- The shop slashed its prices by fifty percent to attract more customers before closing.
- The government announced plans to slash public spending in an effort to reduce the national deficit before the next election cycle.

### 3. the punctuation mark

noun · CEFR B1

the slanted line (/) used in writing to separate words, numbers, or options.

For teachers: the virgule or solidus symbol (/) used to indicate alternatives, ratios, or to separate components in a web address.

- You need to put a slash between the day and the month when writing the date.
- The forward slash is a standard delimiter in file paths for many operating systems and web protocols.

### 4. urination

noun · CEFR C1 · British English · Slang · Vulgar

a very informal way to say you need to go to the toilet.

For teachers: an act of urination; highly informal and typically restricted to British English.

- He had to stop at the petrol station because he really needed a slash.
- After several pints at the pub, he went looking for the toilets to have a quick slash before the long walk home.

Usage: Usually used with the verb 'have' or 'take'.

### 5. fan fiction

noun · CEFR C1 · Slang

stories written by fans that focus on romantic relationships between two male characters.

For teachers: a genre of fan fiction focused on romantic or sexual relationships between fictional characters of the same sex, typically male.

- She spent the weekend reading slash about her favourite sci-fi characters.
- The online community became a hub for writers producing slash based on the popular television series.

Teaching tip: This term is specific to internet subcultures and fan communities; it may be unfamiliar to general English speakers.

## Examples

- The store decided to slash prices for the summer sale.
- The government had to slash the education budget to deal with the sudden economic crisis.
- The explorer used a heavy machete to slash through the dense undergrowth, clearing a narrow path for the rest of the team to follow.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.