slippery
- 01 B1 Intermediate
difficult to hold or stand on because a surface is smooth, wet, or oily.
having a low coefficient of friction, typically due to moisture, ice, or lubricants, making it difficult to maintain grip or footing.
Simple“Be careful on the kitchen floor because it is still wet and very slippery.”
In context“The mountain pass became treacherous as the light drizzle turned the limestone path into a dangerously slippery surface for the hikers.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
describing a person who is dishonest or hides the truth in a clever way.
elusive or untrustworthy in character; often used to describe someone who avoids direct answers or commitments.
Simple“Don't trust that salesman; he has a reputation for being a slippery character.”
In context“The politician gave a slippery response to the journalist's question, successfully avoiding any firm commitment to the proposed tax reform.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
describing an idea or word that is difficult to understand or define clearly.
difficult to define, grasp, or pin down due to inherent ambiguity or shifting meanings.
Simple“The concept of 'freedom' is quite slippery because it means different things to different people.”
In context“Scholars have long struggled with the slippery nature of the term 'culture', which seems to expand or contract depending on the theoretical framework applied.”
- 04 C2 Proficiency
having weak morals or being easily persuaded to do wrong things.
morally unstable or prone to error; in older contexts, it specifically referred to a lack of chastity.
Simple“In the old play, the villain was described as having a slippery soul.”
In context“The poet warns against the slippery nature of youth, where one's moral convictions may easily slide into vice without constant vigilance.”
From Middle English slipperie, an extended form ( + -y) of Middle English slipper, sliper (“slippery”), from Old English slipor (“slippery”), from Proto-Germanic *slipraz (“smooth, slippery”), equivalent to slip + -er. Compare also Middle English slibbri, slubbri (“slippery”) borrowed from Middle Dutch or Middle Low German slibberich (“slippery”). Cognate with German schlüpfrig (“slippery”), Danish slibrig (“slippery”), Swedish slipprig (“slippery”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.