different between slither vs coast

English

Etymology

From Middle English slitheren, alteration of slideren (“to slither, creep”), from Old English slidrian (“to slip, slide, slither”), from Proto-West Germanic *slidr?n (“to slide, slither”), from Proto-Indo-European *sleyd?- (“to slip”), equivalent to slide +? -er (frequentative suffix). Cognate with Dutch slidderen (“to slip, wriggle, slither”), German schlittern (“to slither, skid”). More at slide.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?sl?ð.?(?)/
• Rhymes: -?ð?(r)

Verb

slither (third-person singular simple present slithers, present participle slithering, simple past and past participle slithered)

1. (intransitive) To move about smoothly and from side to side.
2. (intransitive) To slide
   • 2003, J. Flash, An American Savage

     I bent down and with both hands I scooped up as much of this pissshit as I could. The green and brown clump felt like Jello as it dripped down all over my clothes. It was slithering through inbetween my fingers.

Derived terms

• aslither
• slitherlink
• Slytherin

Related terms

Translations

Adjective

slither

1. (archaic) slithery; slippery

Noun

slither (uncountable)

1. A limestone rubble.
2. (nonstandard, see usage notes) A sliver.

Usage notes

The use of slither to mean sliver, which is prevalent especially in Britain (where th-fronting is becoming more and more prevalent), is considered by many to be an error, though at least one major dictionary merely labels it "informal" [1].

See also

• sliver

Anagrams

• Hirtles, Hitlers, Shitler, relisht

English

Etymology

From Middle English coste, cooste (“rib", also "shore”), from Old French coste, from Latin costa (“rib, side, edge”).

Pronunciation

• (General American) enPR: k?st, IPA^(key): /ko?st/
• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: k?st, IPA^(key): /k??st/
• Rhymes: -??st

Noun

coast (plural coasts)

1. The edge of the land where it meets an ocean, sea, gulf, bay, or large lake. [from 14th c.]

   The rocky coast of Maine has few beaches.

2. (obsolete) The side or edge of something. [15th-18th c.]

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Sir Isaac Newton to this entry?)

3. (obsolete) A region of land; a district or country. [14th-17th c.]
   • 1526, William Tyndale (translator), Bible, Matthew 2

     Then Herod perceavynge that he was moocked off the wyse men, was excedynge wroth, and sent forth and slue all the chyldren that were in bethleem, and in all the costes thereof […]

   • P. Crescentius, in his lib. 1 de agric. cap. 5, is very copious in this subject, how a house should be wholesomely sited, in a good coast, good air, wind, etc.

4. (obsolete) A region of the air or heavens. [14th-17th c.]
   • 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, III iii

     the learned Merlin, well could tell, / Vnder what coast of heauen the man did dwell […]

Hypernyms

• (edge of land meeting an ocean, sea, gulf, or bay): shore, shoreline

Hyponyms

• (edge of land meeting an ocean, sea, gulf, or bay): oceanfront, seashore

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Verb

coast (third-person singular simple present coasts, present participle coasting, simple past and past participle coasted)

1. (intransitive) To glide along without adding energy; to allow a vehicle to continue moving forward after disengaging the engine or ceasing to apply motive power.
2. (intransitive, nautical) To sail along a coast.
   • 1727, John Arbuthnot, Tables of Ancient Coins, Weights and Measures. Explain'd and exemplify'd in several dissertations

     The Ancients coasted only in their Navigations.

3. (intransitive) To make a minimal effort; to continue to do something in a routine way, without initiative or effort.
   • November 2 2014, Daniel Taylor, "Sergio Agüero strike wins derby for Manchester City against 10-man United," guardian.co.uk

     Yet the truth is that City would probably have been coasting by that point if the referee, Michael Oliver, had not turned down three separate penalties, at least two of which could be accurately described as certainties.

4. (intransitive, obsolete) To draw near to; to approach; to keep near, or by the side of.
5. (transitive, obsolete) To sail by or near; to follow the coastline of.
6. (transitive, obsolete) To conduct along a coast or river bank.

   • The Indians […] coasted me a long the river.

7. (US, dialect) To slide downhill; to slide on a sled upon snow or ice.

Translations

Anagrams

• Ascot, Casto, Coats, Costa, Cotas, Sacto, Tosca, ascot, catso, coats, costa, octas, scato-, scoat, tacos