Slippery

Pronunciation: /ˈslɪpəri/

Definitions of slippery

adjective describing something that is smooth and difficult to hold onto or walk on, often because it is wet or covered in a slippery substance

Example Sentences

A1 The floor was slippery after the rain.

A2 Be careful on the slippery rocks by the river.

B1 The roads can be very slippery in winter due to ice and snow.

B2 She lost her balance on the slippery slope and fell down.

C1 The politician's slippery answers to the questions did not satisfy the audience.

C2 The company's slippery accounting practices eventually led to a scandal.

Examples of slippery in a Sentence

formal The path was covered in ice, making it very slippery to walk on.

informal Be careful, the floor is really slippery when wet.

slang Watch out for that patch of ice, it's super slippery!

figurative The situation was becoming more and more slippery as he tried to navigate through the conflicting information.

Grammatical Forms of slippery

• past tense: slipped
• plural: slipperies
• comparative: more slippery
• superlative: most slippery
• present tense: slip
• future tense: will slip
• perfect tense: have slipped
• continuous tense: is slipping
• singular: slippery
• positive degree: slippery
• infinitive: to slip
• gerund: slipping
• participle: slipping

Origin and Evolution of slippery

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Old English

Story behind the word: The word 'slippery' originated from the Old English word 'slyperig' which meant smooth or sleek.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the meaning of 'slippery' has expanded to include not just physical smoothness, but also metaphorical slipperiness in terms of deceitful or untrustworthy behavior.