Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Slope

Slope

,
Noun.
[Formed (like
abode
fr.
abide
) from OE.
slipen
. See
Slip
,
Verb.
I.
]
1.
An oblique direction; a line or direction including from a horizontal line or direction; also, sometimes, an inclination, as of one line or surface to another.
2.
Any ground whose surface forms an angle with the plane of the horizon.
buildings the summit and
slope
of a hill.
Macaulay.
Under the
slopes
of Pisgah.
Deut. iv. 49. (Rev. Ver.).
☞ A slope, considered as descending, is a declivity; considered as ascending, an acclivity.
Slope of a plane
(Geom.)
,
the direction of the plane;
as, parallel planes have the same
slope
.

Slope

,
Adj.
Sloping.
“Down the slope hills.”
Milton.
A bank not steep, but gently
slope
.
Bacon.

Slope

,
adv.
In a sloping manner.
[Obs.]
Milton.

Slope

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Sloped
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Sloping
.]
To form with a slope; to give an oblique or slanting direction to; to direct obliquely; to incline; to slant;
as, to
slope
the ground in a garden; to
slope
a piece of cloth in cutting a garment.

Slope

,
Verb.
I.
1.
To take an oblique direction; to be at an angle with the plane of the horizon; to incline;
as, the ground
slopes
.
2.
To depart; to disappear suddenly.
[Slang]

Webster 1828 Edition


Slope

SLOPE

,
Adj.
[This word contains the elements of L. labor, lapsus, and Eng. slip; also of L. levo. Eng. lift. I know not whether it originally signified ascending or descending, probably the latter.] Inclined or inclining form a horizontal direction; forming an angle with the plane of the horizon; as slope hills. [Little used.]

SLOPE

,
Noun.
1.
An oblique direction; a line or direction inclining from a horizontal line; properly, a direction downwards.
2.
An oblique direction in general; a direction forming an angle with a perpendicular or other right line.
3.
A declivity; any ground whose surface forms an angle with the plane of the horizon; also, an acclivity, as every declivity must be also an acclivity.

SLOPE

,
Verb.
T.
To form with a slope; to form to declivity or obliquity; to direct obliquely; to incline; as, to slope the ground in a garde; to slope a piece of cloth in cutting a garment.

SLOPE

,
Verb.
I.
To take an oblique direction; to be declivous or inclined.

Definition 2024


slope

slope

English

Noun

A sign indicating a road with a 25% gradient slope in Elenith, Wales

slope (plural slopes)

  1. An area of ground that tends evenly upward or downward.
    I had to climb a small slope to get to the site.
  2. The degree to which a surface tends upward or downward.
    The road has a very sharp downward slope at that point.
  3. (mathematics) The ratio of the vertical and horizontal distances between two points on a line; zero if the line is horizontal, undefined if it is vertical.
    The slope of this line is 0.5
  4. (mathematics) The slope of the line tangent to a curve at a given point.
    The slope of a parabola increases linearly with x.
  5. The angle a roof surface makes with the horizontal, expressed as a ratio of the units of vertical rise to the units of horizontal length (sometimes referred to as run).
    The slope of an asphalt shingle roof system should be 4:12 or greater.
  6. (vulgar, highly offensive, ethnic slur) A person of Chinese or other East Asian descent.

Synonyms

Translations

Verb

slope (third-person singular simple present slopes, present participle sloping, simple past and past participle sloped)

  1. (intransitive) To tend steadily upward or downward.
    The road slopes sharply down at that point.
    • 1918, W. B. Maxwell, chapter 23, in The Mirror and the Lamp:
      If the afternoon was fine they strolled together in the park, very slowly, and with pauses to draw breath wherever the ground sloped upward. The slightest effort made the patient cough.
  2. (transitive) To form with a slope; to give an oblique or slanting direction to; to incline or slant.
    to slope the ground in a garden;   to slope a piece of cloth in cutting a garment
  3. (colloquial, usually followed by a preposition) To try to move surreptitiously.
    I sloped in through the back door, hoping my boss wouldn't see me.
  4. (military) To hold a rifle at a slope with forearm perpendicular to the body in front holding the butt, the rifle resting on the shoulder.
    The order was given to "slope arms".

Translations

Derived terms

Adjective

slope (comparative more slope, superlative most slope)

  1. (obsolete) Sloping.

Adverb

slope (comparative more slope, superlative most slope)

  1. (obsolete) slopingly
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Milton to this entry?)

Anagrams

References


    Dutch

    Pronunciation

    Verb

    slope

    1. (archaic) singular past subjunctive of sluipen
    2. (archaic) singular present subjunctive of slopen

    Anagrams