Emily Dickinson Lexicon

SLID'ING-KEEL, n.

A narrow frame or platform let down through the bottom of a small vessel, like a deepening of the keel. It serves like a lee-board, to sustain the vessel against the lateral force of the wind. – Brande.

SLID-ING-RULE, n.

A mathematical instrument to determine measure or quantity without compasses, by sliding the parts one by another.

SLID'ING-SCALE, n.

In the English corn laws, a scale for raising or lowering the duties in proportion to the fall or rise of prices.

SLIGHT, a. [D. slegt; G. schlecht, plain, simple, mean; D. slegten, to level; G. schlecken, to lick. It seems that slight belongs to the family of sleek, smooth. Qu. Dan. slet, by contraction.]

1. Weak; inconsiderable; not forcible; as, a slight impulse; a slight effort.
2. Not deep; as, a slight impression.
3. Not violent; as, a slight disease, illness or indisposition.
4. Trifling; of no great importance. Slight is the subject, but not so the praise. – Pope.
5. Not strong; not cogent. Some firmly embrace doctrines upon slight grounds. – Locke.
6. Negligent; not vehement; not done with effort. The shaking of the head is a gesture of slight refusal. – Bacon.
7. Not firm or strong; thin; of loose texture; as, slight silk.
8. Foolish; silly; weak in intellect. – Hudibras.

SLIGHT, n.

1. Neglect; disregard; a moderate degree of contempt manifested negatively by neglect. It expresses less than contempt, disdain and scorn.
2. Artifice; dexterity. [See Sleight.]

SLIGHT, v.t.

1. To neglect; to disregard from the consideration that a thing is of little value and unworthy of notice; as, to slight the divine commands, or the offers of mercy. – Milton. Locke.
2. To overthrow; to demolish. [Not used.] – Clarendon. “The rogues slighted me into the river,” in Shakspeare, is not used. [D. slegten.] To slight over, to run over in haste, to perform superficially; to treat carelessly; as, to slight over a theme. – Dryden.

SLIGHT-ED, pp.

Neglected.

SLIGHT-EN, v.t.

To slight or disregard. [Not in use.] – Spenser.

SLIGHT-ER, n.

One who neglects.

SLIGHT-ING, ppr.

Neglecting; disregarding. – Boyle.

SLIGHT-ING-LY, adv.

With neglect; without respect.

SLIGHT-LY, adv.

1. Weakly; superficially; with inconsiderable force or effect; in a small degree; as, a man slightly wounded; an audience slightly affected with preaching.
2. Negligently; without regard; with moderate contempt. – Hooker. Shak.

SLIGHT-NESS, n.

1. Weakness; want of force or strength; superficialness; as, the slightness of a wound or an impression.
2. Negligence; want of attention; want of vehemence. How does it reproach the slightness of our sleepy heartless addresses! – Decay of Piety.

SLIGHT-Y, a.

1. Superficial; slight.
2. Trifling; inconsiderable. – Echard.

SLI'LY, adv. [from sly.]

With artful or dextrous secrecy. Satan slily robs us of our grand treasure. – Decay of Piety.

SLIM, a. [Ice.]

1. Slender; of small diameter or thickness in proportion to the highth; as, a slim person; a slim tree.
2. Weak; slight; unsubstantial.
3. Worthless.

SLIME, n. [Sax. slim; Sw. slem; D. slym; Dan. sliim; G. schlamm; L. limus.]

Soft moist earth having an adhesive quality; viscous mud. They had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar. – Gen. xi.

SLIME-PIT, n.

A pit of slime or adhesive mire.

SLIM-I-NESS, n.

The quality of slime; viscosity. – Floyer.

SLIM'NESS, n.

State of being slim.

SLIM-Y, a.

1. Abounding with slime; consisting of slime.
2. Overspread with slime; as, a slimy eel.
3. Viscous; glutinous; as, a slimy soil.

SLI'NESS, n. [from sly.]

Dextrous artifice to conceal any thing; artful secrecy. – Addison.

SLING, n.¹ [D. slinger.]

1. An instrument for throwing stones, consisting of a strap two strings; the stone being lodged in the strap, is thrown by loosing one of the strings. With a sling and a stone David killed Goliath.
2. A throw; a stroke. – Milton.
3. A kind of hanging bandage put round the neck, in which a wounded limb is sustained.
4. A rope by which a cask or bale is suspended and swung in or out of a ship.

SLING, n.² [G. schlingen, to swallow.]

A drink composed of equal parts of rumor spirit and water sweetened. Rush.

SLING, v.t. [pret. and pp. slung. Sax. slingan; D. slingeren; Sw. slinka, to dangle; Dan. slingrer, to reel. The primary sense seems to be to swing.]

1. To throw with a sling.
2. To throw; to hurl. Addison.
3. To hang so as to swing; as, to sling a pack.
4. To move or swing by a rope which suspends the thing.