different between slippery vs slipping

English

Etymology

From Middle English slipperie, an extended form ( +? -y) of Middle English slipper, sliper (“slippery”), from Old English slipor (“slippery”), from Proto-Germanic *slipraz (“smooth, slippery”), equivalent to slip +? -er. Compare also Middle English slibbri, slubbri (“slippery”) borrowed from Middle Dutch or Middle Low German slibberich (“slippery”). Cognate with German schlüpfrig (“slippery”), Danish slibrig (“slippery”), Swedish slipprig (“slippery”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?sl?p??i/, /?sl?p?i/

Adjective

slippery (comparative slipperier, superlative slipperiest)

1. Of a surface, having low friction, often due to being covered in a non-viscous liquid, and therefore hard to grip, hard to stand on without falling, etc.

   Oily substances render things slippery.

2. (figuratively, by extension) Evasive; difficult to pin down.

   a slippery person

   a slippery promise

3. (obsolete) Liable to slip; not standing firm.
   • 1602, William Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida, III. iii. 84:

     Which when they fall, as being slippery standers, / The love that leaned on them, as slippery too, / Do one pluck down another, and together / Die in the fall.

4. Unstable; changeable; inconstant.
   • 1668, Sir John Denham

     He looking down
     With scorn or pity on the slippery state
     Of kings, will tread upon the neck of fate.

5. (obsolete) Wanton; unchaste; loose in morals.
   • 1610, William Shakespeare, The Winter's Tale, I. ii. 273:

     My wife is slippery? If thou wilt confess –

Synonyms

• (of a surface): greasy, slick, slimy, slippy, wet

Antonyms

• (of a surface): sticky

Derived terms

Related terms

• slip

Translations

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?sl?p??/
• Hyphenation: slip?ping

Verb

slipping

1. Present participle and gerund of slip.

Noun

slipping (plural slippings)

1. The act of something that slips; a slip; a skidding or sudden loosening motion.

   slippings and slidings

Anagrams

• lippings, sippling