slavish (slavish)

[= D. slaafsch = G. skla visch = Sw. slafvisk = Dan. slavisk, slavish; as slave2 + -ish1.] 1. Of, pertaining to, characteristic of, or befitting slaves; servile; base: as, slavish fears; a slavish dependence on the great. Nor did I use an engine to entrap His life, out of a slavish fear to combat Youth, strength, or cunning. Ford, Broken Heart, v. 2. Although within a palace thou wast bred, Yet dost thou carry but a slavish heart. 3. Like that of a slave; servile; consisting of drudgery and laborious toil: as, slavish service. Many a purchased slave, Which, like your a es and your dogs and mules, You use in abject and in slavish parts. IMG:content-1266.png:[blocks in formation] It remains to be seen whether the Slavophils will not obtain their own way. Edinburgh Rev. , CXLV. 160. They clog their slavish tenants with commands. Bp . Hall , Satires, IV. ii. 128. +-ism.] Slavophil sentiments and aims. of Hostility to St. Petersburg and to the "Petersburg period genuine Slavophil ism . D. M. Wallace , Ru ia, p. 418. Slavophobist (slav'ō-fo-bist), n. [ Slav + Gr. φοβεῖν , fear, + -ist.] One who is not favorable to the Slavs, or who fears their influence and The bank, with daffodilies dight, With gra like sleave was matted. sleave (slēv), v . t .; pret. and pp. sleaved , ppr. sleaving. [Also sleeve ; sleave , n.] To sep a- rate or divide, as a collection of threads, strands, or fibers. Sleaved silk, silk not spun or twisted, but drawn out into a skein or bunch of loose threads. sleave-silk (slēv's ilk), n. Unspun silk, such as flo or filoselle. Thou idle immaterial skein of sleave-silk! Shak., T. and C., v. 1. 35. sleazine (slā'- or slē'zi-nes), n. Sleazy, thin, or flimsy character or quality. sleazy (slā'- or slē'zi), a . [Also sleezy , also dial. slazy ; slazy ; supposed supposed to be sig , worn out, threadbare, easily split, schleis- IMG:content-1267.png:[blocks in formation] form of slow1 . slaw2 (sla), n . [ slaa , salad (Sewel) (cf. kröp - slaa , in comp., lettuce-salad, cabbage-let- tuce), contr. of salaad , salaade , now salade , salad: see salad1 . Cf. cole-slaw.] Sliced cab- bage, served cooked or uncooked as a salad. slawet. A Middle English past participle of slay1. IMG:content-1268.png:[blocks in formation] slayl (slā), v . t .; pret. slew , pp. slain , ppr. slay- ing . [ sleen , slen, slan , slon, sclon, slæn (without inf. ending, slee, sle , slaa , slo , pres. ind. 1st pers. slaye , etc., pret. slow , slou , slough , slouh , slouz , slogh , sloh , sloz , pl. slowen , sloughen , slozen, slowe, sloughe, etc., pp. slain, slayn, slawen , slawe , sleie , yslayn , islawe , yslawe , etc.), sleán (contr. form of * sleahan , * slahan , pret. sloh , slog , pl. slog on , pp. slegen, slægen , sleck-trought, n. [ sleck , var. of slakel , + geslegen, geslægen), strike, smite, kill, = OS. slahan , slaan = OFries. sla = D. slaan = MLG. slan , LG. slaan = OHG. slahan, MHG. slichen , G. schlagen = Icel. sla = Sw. slå = Dan. slaae = Goth. slahan , strike, smite; not found outside of Teut., unle in OIr. slechtaim , sligim , I strike. Some compare L. lacer are , Gr. λακίζειν , lacer- ate: see lacerate . Hence ult. slaught, slaugh- ter, slay2 , sledgel , and perhaps slat1 , sleet1 , sly , sleight .] 1. To strike; smite. Thai slew the wethir that thai bar; And slew fyr for to rost their mete. Barbour, vii. 153. (Jamie son.) 2. To strike so as to kill; put to death violent- ly, by means of a weapon or otherwise; kill. Thi fadir hath slayn a fat calf. Wyclif , Luke xv. 27. They brennen, sleen , and bringe hem to mes chance. Chaucer , Man of Law's Tale, 1. 964. Hast thou slain Tybalt? wilt thou slay thyself? And slay thy lady too that lives in thee? Shak . , R. and J., iii. 3. 116. 3. To destroy; put an end to; quench; spoil; ruin. Swich a reyn doun fro the welkne shadde That slow the fyr and made him to escape. The rootes eke of rede and ri he thay ete; When winter sleeth thaire fedyng, yeve hem meete. Palladius , Husbondrie (E. E. T. S.), p. 99. For this, being smelt, with that part cheers each part; Being tasted, slays all senses with the heart. Shak ., R. and J., ii. 3. 26. =Syn. 2. Murder , etc. See killl . slay2 (slā), n. [Also sley , early mod. E. also sleie ; slay , slai , slæ , contr. of * slahe , in an early form slahae , a weavers' reed (= Icel. slā = Sw. slå = Dan. slaa , a bar, bolt, cro - beam): so called from striking the web to- gether, sleán ( * sleahan , * slahan ), strike: see slay1.] The reed of a weavers' loom. To weue in the stoule sume were full preste, With slaiis , with tauellis, with he dell is well drest. Skelton, Garlande of Laurell, 1. 791. slayer (slā'er), n. [ slaer , sleer , sleere (= MLG. sleger = G. schläger , a beater, fighter, mallet), a slayer; slay1 + -er1.] One who slays; a killer; a murderer; an a a in; a de- stroyer of life. If the red slayer thinks he slays. Emerson , Brahma. slazy (slā'zi), a . A dialectal form of sleazy . sld. A contraction ( a ) of sold ; (b) of sailed . slet. An old spelling of slay1, sly . sleave (slēv), n. [Also sleeve ; cf. Sw. slejf , a knot of ribbon, = Dan. slöjfe , a bow-knot; G. schleife, a loop, knot, springe, noose, = LG. slope , slepe , a noose, slip-knot; from the root of slip : see slip1 .] Anything matted or raveled; hence, unspun silk; the knotted and entangled part of silk or thread. Sleep, that knits up the ravell'd sleave of care. Shak., Macbeth, ii. 2. 37. trough .] The trough in which a blacksmith slakes or cools his irons. He a Black-smith's son appointed Head in his place: one who anointed Had never been, unle his Dad Had in the sleck - trough wash'd the lad. IMG:content-1269.png:[merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small] carry loads or support the body of a vehicle, or, when of lighter build and supporting a light platform or seat, in the sport of coasting and for drawing light loads by hand. Chilion made her a present of a beautiful blue-painted S. Judd , Margaret, i. 10. IMG:content-1270.png:[blocks in formation] sled1 (sled), v.; pret. and pp. sledded, ppr. sled ding. [ II. in trans. 1. To ride or travel in a sled: sometimes with an impersonal it . Look where, mantled up in white, He sleds it like the Muscovite. Cotton (Arber's Eng. Garner, I. 219). 2. To be carried or transported on a sled. [Colloq.] IMG:content-1271.png:[blocks in formation] [This pa age, however, is obscure. Some read "sleaded pollax" (leaded battle-ax).]