different between slither vs saunter

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

Etymology unclear. Attested in the sense “to stroll” from the 1660s; noun sense “a stroll” attested 1828. Likely from earlier term meaning “to muse”, late 15th century, from Middle English santren, of unknown origin. Competing theories exist:

• From Anglo-Norman sauntrer (mid 14th century), from Middle French s'aventurer (“to take risks”); however this is considered unlikely by the OED. Compare Middle English aunter (“adventure”).
• Of Germanic origin, with proposed cognates including German schlendern, Danish slentre, Swedish släntra, and Icelandic slentr, all meaning “to stroll”.

Various fanciful folk etymologies have also been given.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /?s?nt?/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?s??nt?/
• (cot–caught merger, Canada) IPA^(key): /?s?nt?/
• Rhymes: -??nt?(?)

Verb

saunter (third-person singular simple present saunters, present participle sauntering, simple past and past participle sauntered)

1. To stroll, or walk at a leisurely pace.

   Synonyms: amble, stroll, wander

   • 1858-1880, David Masson, The Life Of John Milton: 1649-1654

     One could lie under elm trees in a lawn, or saunter in meadows by the side of a stream.

Translations

Noun

saunter (plural saunters)

1. A leisurely walk or stroll.
2. A leisurely pace.
3. (obsolete) A place for sauntering or strolling.
   • 1728, Edward Young, The Love of Fame

     That wheel of fops, that saunter of the town.

Translations

References

Anagrams

• Transue, aunters, natuers, natures, sea turn, seruant, tea urns, tea-urns, unrates