slave
gb/slˈeɪv/ us/slˈeɪv/
B2
Angličtina
~ 5900
Významy
0 významů
Podstatné jméno
B2
entity
1
person owned and forced to work
A person who is owned by another person and must work for them without pay or freedom.
Vzorec užití:
a slave of [someone]; a slave in [a place/time]
Častá chyba:
Learners sometimes use "slave" to describe any very hard-working employee. This can sound disrespectful or insensitive because the word is strongly connected with real historical and modern slavery. Use it carefully, and avoid using it jokingly about normal work situations.
Synonyma
enslaved person (More modern, people-first and respectful term; focuses on the person rather than defining them only by their legal status.)
Antonyma
free person (Emphasizes having legal and personal freedom, the opposite of being owned and controlled.)
Kolokace
own slaves
|free the slaves
|slave owner
|slave trade
|slave labor
|sex slave
Témata
society
|history
|law
|human_rights
|relationships
Příklady
- Millions of Africans were taken from their homes and sold as slaves in the Americas.
- The law at that time allowed people to buy and sell slaves as property.
- Former slaves faced long struggles to gain equal rights after slavery was ended.
- He was born a slave on a plantation and spent his early life working in the fields.
- The museum tells the story of the lives of enslaved people, not just the owners of slaves.
Učební příklady
- In the past, many people were slaves and had no freedom.
- A slave had to work all day and did not get paid.
- The slaves were treated very badly by their owners.
- The government passed a new law to free all the slaves.
- We read a book in class about a boy who was born as a slave.
Podstatné jméno
B2
state
2
person controlled by habit or influence
A person who lets a habit or thing control them so much that they feel they cannot stop.
Vzorec užití:
a slave to [something]
Častá chyba:
Learners sometimes think this meaning is always joking or light, but it can sound quite strong or dramatic. Because of the connection to real slavery, some speakers avoid this figurative use in serious or sensitive contexts.
Synonyma
addict (Often used for strong physical or psychological dependence (for example, drugs or gambling); can sound more medical or serious than "slave" in some contexts.)
Antonyma
self-disciplined (Describes someone who controls their own behavior well, which is the opposite of being ruled by a habit or influence.)
Kolokace
a slave to fashion
|a slave to work
|a slave to routine
|a slave to his phone
|a slave to her desires
|a slave to social media
Témata
emotions
|daily_life
|health
|core_vocabulary
Příklady
- He’s a slave to his phone and checks it every few minutes.
- She refuses to be a slave to fashion and wears what she likes.
- Don’t become a slave to work; make time for your family and friends.
- I used to be a slave to my daily routine, but now I try to be more flexible.
- If you are a slave to sugar, it can be very hard to change your diet.
Učební příklady
- He is a slave to coffee and drinks it all day.
- She is a slave to her job and works every night.
- I don’t want to be a slave to my phone.
- My uncle is a slave to money and only thinks about work.
- Do not be a slave to your bad habits.
unknown
informal
B2
action
3
work extremely hard for long time
To work very, very hard for a long time, often doing difficult or boring work.
Vzorec užití:
to slave away at [something]; to slave away over [something]
Častá chyba:
Learners sometimes use this verb in very formal writing, where it can sound too casual or emotional. It is better in conversation or informal texts. Because of its link to real slavery, avoid using it in serious discussions about forced labor.
Synonyma
toil (More formal or literary; often used for hard physical work.)
Antonyma
relax (Means to rest and not work hard, the opposite of "slave" in this sense.)
Kolokace
slave away
|slave away at work
|slave away over a hot stove
|slave away at his desk
|slave away all night
Témata
work
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Příklady
- I’ve been slaving away at this report all weekend.
- She slaved away over a hot stove to prepare the holiday meal.
- They slaved away for years to build up their small business.
- He’s been slaving away at his desk since early this morning.
- We slaved away on the project, but the boss barely noticed.
Učební příklady
- I slaved away on my homework last night.
- She slaved away in the kitchen for three hours.
- They slaved away at the factory all day.
- He is slaving away to finish the project.
- We slaved away all weekend to clean the house.
Podstatné jméno
technical
C1
entity
4
device controlled by another device
In technology, a machine or program that is controlled by another main machine or program.
Vzorec užití:
a slave device; a slave server; a slave cylinder
Častá chyba:
Learners may not realize that this technical use is being replaced because of its negative social connotations. Modern documentation often uses words like "primary/secondary" or "leader/follower" instead.
Synonyma
secondary device (More neutral and modern term that avoids the "master/slave" metaphor; emphasizes its supporting role.)
Antonyma
master (In this technical pairing, the controlling device or process, opposite to the controlled "slave.")
Kolokace
slave device
|master-slave
|slave server
|slave drive
|slave cylinder
|slave node
Témata
technology
|engineering
Příklady
- The controller sends commands to each slave device on the bus.
- In the old master-slave setup, the slave server simply copied data from the main server.
- Many projects are replacing the terms "master" and "slave" with more neutral labels like "primary" and "replica."
- This cylinder acts as the slave and moves only when the master cylinder applies pressure.
- The slave node receives tasks from the master node and reports the results back.
Učební příklady
- The main computer controls the slave device.
- In this system, one server is the master and the other is the slave.
- The master sends a signal and the slave moves.
- Some companies now use other words instead of "master" and "slave" for devices.
- The slave unit does what the main unit tells it to do.
Gramatika
Slovníkový tvar
slave
IPA
GB/slˈeɪv/
US/slˈeɪv/
Slabiky a přízvuk
slave (1 slabika)
Stress on 1st syllable (slave)
Tvary slova
Noun
- Base: slave
- Plural: slaves
Příbuzná slova
Forms
slaves
noun
Core family
slavery
noun B1
enslave
verb
Related words
slavish
adjective
Negative and opposite forms
anti-slavery
adjective
Advanced or less common
enslavement
noun
slavishly
adverb
Výrazy
a slave to fashion
1/ə slˈeɪv tə fˈæʃən/
idiom
person ruled by fashion trends
Someone who always follows the newest clothes and styles, even when it is expensive or not practical.
Příklady
- She’s such a slave to fashion that she buys a new coat every season.
- I used to be a slave to fashion, but now I just wear what is comfortable.
- He doesn’t want to be a slave to fashion and prefers simple clothes.
be a slave to
1/bˈi ə slˈeɪv tə/
idiom
be strongly controlled by something
To let a habit, activity, or thing control you so much that you feel you cannot stop or change it.
Příklady
- Don’t be a slave to your phone; turn it off sometimes.
- He’s a slave to his schedule and never does anything spontaneous.
- Many people feel they are slaves to their inbox at work.
master and slave
1/mˈæstɚ ˈænd slˈeɪv/
fixed phrase
technical
controlling and controlled devices
A technical setup where one main device or program (the master) controls another device or program (the slave).
Příklady
- Older documentation often describes a master and slave arrangement between the two drives.
- Many engineers now avoid the phrase "master and slave" and use terms like "primary and secondary" instead.
- In the master and slave system, the slave only acts when the master sends a command.
sex slave
1/sˈɛks slˈeɪv/
fixed phrase
person forced into sexual slavery
A person who is forced to have sex and is controlled like an object or property, often as part of human trafficking.
Příklady
- Police rescued several women who had been kept as sex slaves.
- The documentary tells the story of a young man sold as a sex slave.
- International groups work to free sex slaves and support survivors.
slave away
1/slˈeɪv əwˈeɪ/
phrasal verb
informal
work very hard for long time
To work very hard for a long time, often doing boring or tiring work and not getting much thanks or money.
Příklady
- She’s been slaving away in the kitchen all afternoon.
- We slaved away on that presentation, and it was over in ten minutes.
- I don’t want to slave away in an office for the rest of my life.
slave driver
1/slˈeɪv dɹˈaɪvɚ/
fixed phrase
informal
person who makes others overwork
A person, especially a boss or leader, who makes other people work very hard and gives them little rest or thanks.
Příklady
- My new boss is a real slave driver.
- Don’t be such a slave driver; let the team take a break.
- He has a reputation as a slave driver who always demands overtime.
slave labor
1/slˈeɪv lˈeɪbɚ/
fixed phrase
forced unpaid or very unfair work
Work done by people who are forced to work and are not paid, or are paid very little and treated very badly.
Příklady
- The report exposed the use of slave labor in the factory.
- Buying very cheap clothes can sometimes support slave labor.
- They protested against what they called modern slave labor on the farms.
slave market
1/slˈeɪv mˈɑɹkɪt/
fixed phrase
place for buying and selling slaves
A place where slaves are bought and sold as property.
Příklady
- The city was once a major slave market.
- Families were often separated at slave markets.
- The guide pointed out the square that had been used as a slave market.
slave over a hot stove
1/slˈeɪv ˈoʊvɚ ə hˈɑt stˈoʊv/
idiom
informal
work very hard cooking
To cook for a long time and work very hard, often in a hot kitchen, usually said in a slightly joking way.
Příklady
- I spent all day slaving over a hot stove for this dinner.
- She’s not going to slave over a hot stove every weekend for ungrateful guests.
- After slaving over a hot stove for hours, he was too tired to eat.
slave owner
1/slˈeɪv ˈoʊnɚ/
fixed phrase
person who owns slaves
A person who owns one or more slaves as their property.
Příklady
- He is a descendant of both slaves and slave owners.
- Many slave owners grew rich from unpaid labor.
- The film shows the life of a cruel slave owner on a plantation.
slave ship
1/slˈeɪv ʃˈɪp/
fixed phrase
ship used to carry slaves
A ship used to carry slaves, especially across the sea during the slave trade.
Příklady
- The slaves were packed tightly into the hold of the slave ship.
- Many people died on the long journeys of the slave ships.
- The novel describes the horrors of life on a slave ship.
slave trade
1/slˈeɪv tɹˈeɪd/
fixed phrase
system of buying and selling slaves
The business of buying and selling people as slaves and moving them from place to place.
Příklady
- The transatlantic slave trade lasted for hundreds of years.
- Many ports grew rich from the slave trade.
- The museum has an exhibit about the history of the slave trade.
treated like a slave
1/tɹˈitɪd lˈaɪk ə slˈeɪv/
fixed phrase
be made to work without respect
To be made to work very hard and be given little freedom or respect, as if you were a slave.
Příklady
- He said he was treated like a slave at his last job.
- Many migrant workers complain that they are treated like slaves.
- She refuses to be treated like a slave in her own home.
work like a slave
1/wˈɚk lˈaɪk ə slˈeɪv/
idiom
informal
work extremely hard under pressure
To work extremely hard, often for a long time and with little rest or thanks.
Příklady
- We worked like slaves to finish the project on time.
- He works like a slave for that company and still gets no respect.
- I’m tired of working like a slave for such low pay.