slip
gb/slˈɪp/ us/slˈɪp/
A2
English
~ 1900
Senses
0 senses
Verb
A2
action
1
Lose balance and slide briefly
To lose your balance and slide a little, often by accident.
Usage pattern:
to slip on [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'slip' with 'trip'; 'slip' involves sliding, 'trip' involves catching your foot on something.
Synonyms
stumble (Implies tripping rather than sliding; may or may not involve slipping motion.)
Antonyms
balance (Maintaining stability instead of losing it.)
Collocations
slip on ice
|slip and fall
|slip on wet floor
|nearly slip
Themes
daily life
|movement
|safety
|daily_life
|health
Examples
- I slipped on the icy sidewalk and almost fell.
- She slipped on the wet bathroom floor.
- He slipped while climbing the muddy hill.
- The child slipped on a banana peel in the kitchen.
Learner examples
- I slipped on the ice.
- She slipped on the wet floor.
- He slipped and fell in the park.
- Be careful or you will slip.
Verb
B1
action
2
Go quietly or quickly away
To go somewhere quietly and fast so no one sees you.
Usage pattern:
to slip into/out of [place]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'slip' here with physical slipping; context must indicate movement without notice.
Synonyms
sneak (Often implies more secrecy or stealth than 'slip'.)
Antonyms
enter openly (To arrive or leave in a visible, noticeable way.)
Collocations
slip out the door
|slip away quietly
|slip into the room
Themes
movement
|daily life
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She slipped out of the meeting before it ended.
- He slipped into the room without anyone noticing.
- They slipped away during the break.
Learner examples
- I slipped out of the house.
- She slipped into the room quietly.
- They slipped away from the party.
Verb
B1
action
3
Put something quickly and secretly
To quickly and secretly put something somewhere or take it out.
Usage pattern:
to slip [something] into/out of [place]
Synonyms
insert quietly (More formal and less idiomatic than 'slip'.)
Antonyms
remove openly (Taking something out in a visible, obvious way.)
Collocations
slip a note into
|slip money into pocket
|slip out a card
Themes
daily life
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She slipped a note into his hand.
- He slipped the key into his pocket.
- I slipped some money under the door.
Learner examples
- I slipped the letter into his bag.
- She slipped money into my hand.
- He slipped the key into his pocket.
Verb
B2
action
4
Gradually decline or worsen
To slowly get worse in quality, value, or condition.
Usage pattern:
to slip from [state] to [state]
Synonyms
deteriorate (More formal; used broadly beyond casual contexts.)
Antonyms
improve (To become better instead of worse.)
Collocations
standards slip
|grades slip
|sales slip
Themes
business
|health
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- His grades have started to slip this term.
- Sales slipped by 5% last quarter.
- Her health began to slip after the illness.
Learner examples
- My grades are slipping this year.
- Sales slipped last month.
- Her health is slipping fast.
Noun
B2
entity
5
Small mistake or error
A small mistake in what you say, write, or do.
Synonyms
mistake (More general; can be big or small.)
Antonyms
accuracy (The quality of being correct without errors.)
Collocations
a slip of the tongue
|a slip in judgment
Themes
communication
|education
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- It was just a slip of the tongue.
- A small slip in his calculations caused the problem.
- She apologized for the slip in her report.
Learner examples
- It was a slip of the tongue.
- I made a small slip in my homework.
- That was just a little slip.
Noun
A2
entity
6
Small piece of paper record
A small piece of paper with information, often to show proof of payment or record something.
Synonyms
receipt (Specifically proof of payment; not all slips are receipts.)
Collocations
deposit slip
|delivery slip
Themes
business
|daily life
|communication
|daily_life
Examples
- Please fill out this deposit slip.
- He handed me a delivery slip to sign.
- Keep the slip as proof you paid.
Learner examples
- I filled out the deposit slip.
- The man gave me a delivery slip.
- Keep this slip to show you paid.
Noun
B1
entity
7
Woman's undergarment for dresses/skirts
A piece of underwear for women worn under a dress or skirt to make it look smooth and not see-through.
Synonyms
petticoat (Older term; less common in modern usage.)
Collocations
silk slip
Themes
clothing
|daily_life
Examples
- She wore a white slip under her summer dress.
- The silk slip felt soft against her skin.
- Her slip showed slightly below her skirt.
Learner examples
- I bought a new white slip.
- She wears a slip under her dress.
- The slip is made of silk.
Grammar
Dictionary form
slip
IPA
GB/slˈɪp/
US/slˈɪp/
Syllables & stress
slip (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (slip)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: slip
- Plural: slip, slips
Verb
- Base: slip
- 3rd Person Singular: slips
- Present Participle: slipping
- Past: slipped
Word family
Forms
slips
noun
slipping
verb
slipped
verb
Core family
slippery
adjective A2
Related words
slipper
noun
Advanced or less common
slippage
noun
Highlights
- Irregular present participle: slipping Verb
- Irregular past: slipped Verb
Expressions
give someone the slip
1/ɡˈɪv sˈʌmwˌʌn ðə slˈɪp/
idiom
informal
Escape from someone unnoticed
To get away from someone who is following you without them seeing you leave.
Examples
- The thief gave the police the slip in an alley.
- We gave our tour guide the slip to explore alone.
let something slip
1/lˈɛt sˈʌmθɪŋ slˈɪp/
idiom
Accidentally reveal secret information
To say something by accident that you were not supposed to tell.
Examples
- She let it slip that they were planning a surprise party.
- Don't let our plan slip to anyone else.
slip away
1/slˈɪp əwˈeɪ/
phrasal verb
'Leave quietly' or 'disappear gradually' (person/time)
'Leave quietly without people noticing' OR 'slowly disappear over time'. It can be about people, chances, or time.
Examples
- He slipped away while everyone was distracted.
- The summer days are slipping away too quickly.
slip through the cracks
1/slˈɪp θɹˈu ðə kɹˈæks/
idiom
Be overlooked or forgotten by mistake
To not be noticed or included by mistake when checking something carefully.
Examples
- Some students slip through the cracks in large schools.
- A few errors slipped through the cracks during editing.
slip of the tongue
1/slˈɪp əv ðə tˈʌŋ/
idiom
Accidental speaking mistake of word choice
When you say the wrong thing by accident while speaking.
Examples
- Calling her by his ex's name was just a slip of the tongue.
- It was only a slip of the tongue; he meant no harm.
slip of the tongue
2/slˈɪp əv ðə tˈʌŋ/
idiom
Accidental speech mistake
When you say something by mistake instead of what you meant to say.
Examples
- Calling her by the wrong name was just a slip of the tongue.
- It was a slip of the tongue; I didn't mean to offend you.