Basic+ Word of the Day: slippery

slippery (adjective)

The ice is slippery.

Slippery means ‘easily causing sliding.’

• The road is slippery when wet.
• Hold on tight; the oily rope is slippery.
• The old man walked slowly on the slippery ice.

Slippery also means ‘unstable or insecure, such as conditions.’

• Be careful; you're in a slippery situation.

Common uses

A slippery slope is an ice-covered hill. Once you start going down it, you cannot stop. Figuratively, a slippery slope is a minor action that leads to a major problem that you cannot control. Example: “It’s a slippery slope; if you eat one piece of candy, soon the whole candy box is empty and you won’t remember eating it. “

Did you know?

If someone says that a person is slippery, that means they are deceitful or dishonest. They may seem charming, but they can’t be trusted.

In pop culture

Listen to the Commodores sing “Slippery When Wet.”

There are other meanings of slippery.