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Word Study
slow
CIDE DICTIONARY
slow, imp.
Slew. Chaucer. [1913 Webster]
slow, a. [OE. slow, slaw, AS. slāw; akin to OS. sl blunt, dull, D. sleeuw, slee, sour, OHG. sl blunt, dull, Icel. sl, sl, Dan. slöv, Sw. slö. Cf. Sloe, and Sloth.].
- Moving a short space in a relatively long time; not swift; not quick in motion; not rapid; moderate; deliberate; as, a slow stream; a slow motion. [1913 Webster]
- Not happening in a short time; gradual; late. [1913 Webster]"These changes in the heavens, though slow, produced
Like change on sea and land, sidereal blast." [1913 Webster] - Not ready; not prompt or quick; dilatory; sluggish; as, slow of speech, and slow of tongue. [1913 Webster]"Fixed on defense, the Trojans are not slow
To guard their shore from an expected foe." [1913 Webster] - Not hasty; not precipitate; acting with deliberation; tardy; inactive. [1913 Webster]"He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding." [1913 Webster]
- Behind in time; indicating a time earlier than the true time; as, the clock or watch is slow. [1913 Webster]
- Not advancing or improving rapidly; as, the slow growth of arts and sciences. [1913 Webster]
- Heavy in wit; not alert, prompt, or spirited; wearisome; dull. Dickens. Thackeray. [1913 Webster]" Slow is often used in the formation of compounds for the most part self-explaining; as, slow-gaited, slow-paced, slow-sighted, slow-winged, and the like." [1913 Webster]
Syn. -- Dilatory; late; lingering; tardy; sluggish; dull; inactive.
slow, adv.
Slowly. [1913 Webster]
"Let him have time to mark how slow time goes
In time of sorrow." [1913 Webster]
In time of sorrow." [1913 Webster]
slow, v. t.
To render slow; to slacken the speed of; to retard; to delay; as, to slow a steamer. Shak. [1913 Webster]
slow, v. i.
To go slower; -- often with up; as, the train slowed up before crossing the bridge. [1913 Webster]
slow, n.
A moth. Rom. of R. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
slow, adj., adv., & v.
--adj.
1 a taking a relatively long time to do a thing or cover a distance (also foll. by of: slow of speech). b not quick; acting or moving or done without speed.
2 gradual; obtained over a length of time (slow growth).
3 not producing, allowing, or conducive to speed (in the slow lane).
4 (of a clock etc.) showing a time earlier than is the case.
5 (of a person) not understanding readily; not learning easily.
6 dull; uninteresting; tedious.
7 slack or sluggish (business is slow).
8 (of a fire or oven) giving little heat.
9 Photog. a (of a film) needing long exposure. b (of a lens) having a small aperture.
10 a reluctant; tardy (not slow to defend himself). b not hasty or easily moved (slow to take offence).
11 (of a cricket-pitch, tennis-court, putting-green, etc.) on which the ball bounces or runs slowly.
--adv.
1 at a slow pace; slowly.
2 (in comb.) (slow-moving traffic).
--v. (usu. foll. by down, up)
1 intr. & tr. reduce one's speed or the speed of (a vehicle etc.).
2 intr. reduce one's pace of life; live or work less intensely.
--adj.
1 a taking a relatively long time to do a thing or cover a distance (also foll. by of: slow of speech). b not quick; acting or moving or done without speed.
2 gradual; obtained over a length of time (slow growth).
3 not producing, allowing, or conducive to speed (in the slow lane).
4 (of a clock etc.) showing a time earlier than is the case.
5 (of a person) not understanding readily; not learning easily.
6 dull; uninteresting; tedious.
7 slack or sluggish (business is slow).
8 (of a fire or oven) giving little heat.
9 Photog. a (of a film) needing long exposure. b (of a lens) having a small aperture.
10 a reluctant; tardy (not slow to defend himself). b not hasty or easily moved (slow to take offence).
11 (of a cricket-pitch, tennis-court, putting-green, etc.) on which the ball bounces or runs slowly.
--adv.
1 at a slow pace; slowly.
2 (in comb.) (slow-moving traffic).
--v. (usu. foll. by down, up)
1 intr. & tr. reduce one's speed or the speed of (a vehicle etc.).
2 intr. reduce one's pace of life; live or work less intensely.
Idiom
slow and sure of the attitude that haste is risky. slow but sure achieving the required result eventually. slow-down the action of slowing down; a go-slow. slow handclap slow clapping by an audience as a sign of displeasure or boredom. slow loris see LORIS. slow march the marching time adopted by troops in a funeral procession etc. slow-match a slow-burning match for lighting explosives etc. slow motion 1 the operation or speed of a film using slower projection or more rapid exposure so that actions etc. appear much slower than usual.
2 the simulation of this in real action. slow neutron a neutron with low kinetic energy esp. after moderation (cf. fast neutron (see FAST(1))). slow poison a poison eventually causing death by repeated doses. slow puncture a puncture causing only slow deflation of the tyre. slow reactor Physics a nuclear reactor using mainly slow neutrons (cf. fast reactor (see FAST(1))). slow virus a progressive disease caused by a virus or virus-like organism that multiplies slowly in the host organism and has a long incubation period, such as scrapie or BSE.
2 the simulation of this in real action. slow neutron a neutron with low kinetic energy esp. after moderation (cf. fast neutron (see FAST(1))). slow poison a poison eventually causing death by repeated doses. slow puncture a puncture causing only slow deflation of the tyre. slow reactor Physics a nuclear reactor using mainly slow neutrons (cf. fast reactor (see FAST(1))). slow virus a progressive disease caused by a virus or virus-like organism that multiplies slowly in the host organism and has a long incubation period, such as scrapie or BSE.
Derivative
slowish adj. slowly adv. slowness n.
Etymology
OE slaw f. Gmc
THESAURUS
slow
Boeotian, Micawberish, after time, almost unheard-of, ambling, apathetic, arid, arrest, arrested, averse, back, backpedal, backward, backwater, balking, balky, barren, behind, behind the times, behind time, behindhand, belated, belatedly, benumbed, blah, blank, blase, blocked, blockish, bloodless, blunt, blunt-witted, bone-lazy, bored, boring, bovine, brake, cadging, carefully, cautious, cautiously, characterless, check, circumspect, circumspectly, claudicant, clip the wings, cloddish, cold, colorless, conservative, crawling, crawlingly, creeping, creeping like snail, creepingly, curb, dallying, dawdling, dead, dead-and-alive, debilitated, decelerate, deep into, delay, delayed, delayed-action, delaying, deliberate, deliberately, dense, detain, detained, dilatorily, dilatory, dillydallying, dim, dim-witted, disinclined, dismal, do-nothing, doless, doltish, dopey, dormant, dragging, draggy, draw rein, drearisome, dreary, dronish, drony, droopy, drugged, dry, dryasdust, dull, dull of mind, dull-headed, dull-pated, dull-witted, dumb, dunch, dusty, ease off, ease up, easily, easy, easygoing, effete, elephantine, empty, enervated, ergophobic, etiolated, exanimate, fade, faineant, faltering, falteringly, far on, fat-witted, feebleminded, flagging, flat, foot-dragging, gentle, gently, good-for-nothing, gradual, gross-headed, grudging, half-witted, halting, haltingly, hasteless, heavy, hebetudinous, held up, hesitant, ho-hum, hobbled, hobbling, hold back, hold in check, hold up, hollow, humdrum, hung up, idle, idly, imbecile, impede, in a bind, in abeyance, in low gear, in march time, in slow motion, in slow tempo, inactive, inane, inanimate, indifferent, indisposed, indolent, indolently, inert, inexcitable, infrequent, insipid, jaded, jammed, jejune, keep back, lackadaisical, laggard, lagging, languid, languidly, languorous, languorously, late, latish, lax, lazy, leaden, leisurely, let down, let up, lethargic, lifeless, limited, limping, limpingly, lingering, lingeringly, listless, loath, loitering, loiteringly, lollygagging, lose ground, lose momentum, lose speed, low-spirited, lumbering, lumpish, measurable, measured, moderate, moderately, monotonous, moratory, moribund, moronic, never on time, nonaggressive, none too soon, not with it, numb, obstruct, obstructed, obtuse, old-fashioned, old-fogyish, out of date, out of it, overdue, pale, pallid, parasitic, pedestrian, perceptible, perfunctory, phlegmatic, plodding, pointless, pokily, poking, pokingly, poky, ponderous, pooped, procrastinating, procrastinative, procrastinatory, progressive, quiet, rare, reef, rein in, relax, relaxed, relaxedly, reluctant, reluctantly, remiss, renitent, restive, retard, retarded, rusty, sated, sauntering, scarce, scrounging, seldom met with, seldom seen, set back, shiftless, shuffling, simple, slack, slack off, slack up, slacken, sleepy, slothful, slow as death, slow as molasses, slow as slow, slow down, slow to, slow up, slow-crawling, slow-foot, slow-going, slow-legged, slow-moving, slow-paced, slow-poky, slow-running, slow-sailing, slow-stepped, slow-witted, slowly, sluggish, sluggishly, snail-paced, snaillike, solemn, somnolent, soporific, sparse, spiritless, sponging, square, staggering, stagnant, stagnating, stay, steady, sterile, stiff, stodgy, stolid, stopped, straggling, strolling, stuffy, stultified, stupid, superficial, supine, take in sail, take it easy, tame, tardily, tardy, tarryingly, tasteless, tedious, tentative, tentatively, thick, thick-brained, thick-headed, thick-pated, thick-witted, thickskulled, throttle down, tiresome, toddling, torpid, tortoiselike, tottering, trudging, turtlelike, uncommon, under easy sail, unenterprising, unenthusiastic, uneventful, unfrequent, unhasty, unhurried, unhurriedly, unimaginative, unintelligent, uninteresting, unique, unlively, unproductive, unprogressive, unpunctual, unready, unresponsive, untimely, unusual, unwilling, unzealous, vapid, vegetable, vegetative, waddling, wan, wearisome, weary, with agonizing slowness, with deliberation, wooden, work-shy, world-wearyROGET THESAURUS
slow
Inactivity
N inactivity, inaction, inertness, obstinacy, lull, quiescence, rust, rustiness, idleness, remissness, sloth, indolence, indiligence, dawdling, ergophobia, otiosity, dullness, languor, segnity, segnitude, lentor, sluggishness, procrastination, torpor, torpidity, torpescence, stupor, somnolence, drowsiness, nodding, oscitation, oscitancy, pandiculation, hypnotism, lethargy, statuvolence heaviness, heavy eyelids, sleep, slumber, sound sleep, heavy sleep, balmy sleep, Morpheus, Somnus, coma, trance, ecstasis, dream, hibernation, nap, doze, snooze, siesta, wink of sleep, forty winks, snore, hypnology, dull work, pottering, relaxation, Castle of Indolence, lullaby, sedative, tranquilizer, hypnotic, sleeping pill, relaxant, anaesthetic, general anaesthetic, torpedo, idler, drone, droil, dawdle, mopus, do- little faineant, dummy, sleeping partner, afternoon farmer, truant, bummer, loafer, goldbrick, goldbicker, lounger, lazzarone, lubber, lubbard, slow coach (slow, ), opium eater, lotus eater, slug, lag, sluggard, slugabed, slumberer, dormouse, marmot, waiter on Providence, fruges consumere natus, inactive, motionless, unoccupied, unbusied, indolent, lazy, slothful, idle, lusk, remiss, slack, inert, torpid, sluggish, otiose, languid, supine, heavy, dull, leaden, lumpish, exanimate, soulless, listless, drony, dronish, lazy as Ludlam's dog, dilatory, laggard, lagging, slow, rusty, flagging, lackadaisical, maudlin, fiddle-faddle, pottering, shilly-shally, sleeping asleep, fast asleep, dead asleep, sound asleep, in a sound sleep, sound as a top, dormant, comatose, in the arms of Morpheus, in the lap of Morpheus, sleepy, sleepful, dozy, drowsy, somnolent, torpescent, lethargic, lethargical, somnifacient, statuvolent, statuvolic, heavy, heavy with sleep, napping, somnific, somniferous, soporous, soporific, soporiferous, hypnotic, balmy, dreamy, unawakened, unawakened, sedative, inactively, at leisure, the eyes begin to draw straws, bankrupt of life yet prodigal of ease, better 50 years of Europe than a cycle of Cathay, idly busy rolls their world away, the mystery of folded sleep, the timely dew of sleep, thou driftest gently down the tides of sleep, tired Nature's sweet restorer, balmy sleep.Leisure
N leisure, convenience, spare time, spare hours, spare moments, vacant hour, time, time to spare, time on one's hands, holiday, relaxation, otium cum dignitate, ease, no hurry, no big rush, no deadline, leisure, leisurely, slow, deliberate, quiet, calm, undisturbed, at leisure, at one's ease, at loose ends, at a loose end, unhurriedly, deliberately, without undue haste, anytime, time hanging heavy on one's hands, eile mit Weile.Diuturnity
N diuturnity, a long time, a length of time, an age, a century, an eternity, slowness, perpetuity, blue moon, coon's age, dog's age, durableness, durability, persistence, endlessness, lastingness, continuance, standing, permanence, survival, survivance, longevity, distance of time, protraction of time, prolongation of time, extension of time, delay, durable, lasting, of long duration, of long-standing, permanent, endless, chronic, long-standing, intransient, intransitive, intransmutable, persistent, lifelong, livelong, longeval, long-lived, macrobiotic, diuturnal, evergreen, perennial, sempervirent, sempervirid, unrelenting, unintermitting, unremitting, perpetual, lingering, protracted, prolonged, spun out, long-pending, long-winded, slow, long, for a long time, for an age, for ages, for ever so long, for many a long day, long ago, longo intervallo, all the day long, all the year round, the livelong day, as the day is long, morning noon and night, hour after hour, day after day, for good, permanently.Lateness
N lateness, tardiness, delay, delation, cunctation, procrastination, deferring, deferral, postponement, adjournment, prorogation, retardation, respite, pause, reprieve, stay of execution, protraction, prolongation, Fabian policy, medecine expectante, chancery suit, federal case, leeway, high time, moratorium, holdover, late, tardy, slow, behindhand, serotine, belated, postliminious, posthumous, backward, unpunctual, untimely, delayed, postponed, dilatory, delayed, in abeyance, late, lateward, backward, late in the day, at sunset, at the eleventh hour, at length, at last, ultimately, after time, behind time, after the deadline, too late, too late for, slowly, leisurely, deliberately, at one's leisure, ex post facto, sine die, nonum prematur in annum, against the sunbeams serotine and lucent, ie meglio tardi che mai, deliberando saepe perit occasio.Physical Inertness
N physical inertness, inertness, dullness, inertia, vis inertiae, inertion, inactivity, torpor, languor, quiescence, latency, inaction, passivity, mental inertness, sloth, inexcitability, irresolution, obstinacy, permanence, rare gas, paraffin, noble metal, unreactivity, inert, inactive, passive, torpid, sluggish, dull, heavy, flat, slack, tame, slow, blunt, unreactive, lifeless, dead, uninfluential, latent, dormant, smoldering, unexerted, inactively, in suspense, in abeyance.Moderation
N moderation, lenity, temperateness, gentleness, sobriety, quiet, mental calmness, moderating, anaphrodisia, relaxation, remission, mitigation, tranquilization, assuagement, contemporation, pacification, measure, juste milieu, golden mean, ariston metron, moderator, lullaby, sedative, lenitive, demulcent, antispasmodic, carminative, laudanum, rose water, balm, poppy, opiate, anodyne, milk, opium, poppy or mandragora, wet blanket, palliative, moderate, lenient, gentle, mild, mellow, cool, sober, temperate, reasonable, measured, tempered, calm, unruffled, quiet, tranquil, still, slow, smooth, untroubled, tame, peaceful, peaceable, pacific, halcyon, unexciting, unirritating, soft, bland, oily, demulcent, lenitive, anodyne, hypnotic, sedative, antiorgastic, anaphrodisiac, mild as mother's milk, milk and water, moderately, gingerly, piano, under easy sail, at half speed, within bounds, within compass, in reason, est modue in rebus, pour oil on troubled waters.Weariness
N weariness, defatigation, lassitude, drowsiness, disgust, nausea, loathing, sickness, satiety, taedium vitae, boredom, ennui, wearisomeness, tediousness, dull work, tedium, monotony, twice-told tale, bore, buttonholer, proser, wet blanket, pill, stiff, heavy hours, the enemy (time), wearying, wearing, wearisome, tiresome, irksome, uninteresting, stupid, bald, devoid of interest, dry, monotonous, dull, arid, tedious, humdrum, mortal, flat, prosy, prosing, slow, soporific, somniferous, disgusting, unenjoyed, weary, tired, drowsy, uninterested, flagging, used up, worn out, blase, life-weary, weary of life, sick of, wearily, usque ad nauseam, time hanging heavily on one's hands, toujours perdrix, crambe repetita.Dullness
N dullness, heaviness, flatness, infestivity &c, stupidity want of originality, dearth of ideas, prose, matter of fact, heavy book, conte a dormir debout, platitude, dull, dull as ditch water, unentertaining, uninteresting, flat, dry as dust, unfunny, unlively, logy, unimaginative, insulse, dry as dust, prosy, prosing, prosaic, matter of fact, commonplace, pedestrian, pointless, weary stale flat and unprofitable, stupid, slow, flat, insipid, vapid, humdrum, monotonous, melancholic, stolid plodding, boring, tiresome, tedious, davus sum non Aedipus, deadly dull and boring, DDB.Slowness
N slowness, languor, drawl, creeping, lentor, retardation, slackening, delay, claudication, jog trot, dog trot, mincing steps, slow march, slow time, slow goer, slow coach, slow back, lingerer, loiterer, sluggard, tortoise, snail, poke, dawdle, slow, slack, tardy, dilatory, gentle, easy, leisurely, deliberate, gradual, insensible, imperceptible, glacial, languid, sluggish, slow paced, tardigrade, snail-like, creeping, reptatorial, slowly, leisurely, piano, adagio, largo, larghetto, at half speed, under easy sail, at a foots pace, at a snail's pace, at a funeral pace, in slow time, with mincing steps, with clipped wings, haud passibus aequis, gradually, gradatim, by degrees, by slow degrees, by inches, by little and little, step by step, one step at a time, inch by inch, bit by bit, little by little, seriatim, consecutively, dum Roma deliberat Saguntum perit, at a glacial pace.Also see definition of "slow" in Bible Study Dictionaries
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