slash

B2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /slæʃ/ UK /slaʃ/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like slosh /æ/ vs /ɑ/

Freq #10288

Meanings

1

verb
To reduce something, such as a price or budget, by a large amount.

The store slashed its prices to clear out old stock.
2

verb
To cut something violently with long, sweeping strokes.

Someone had slashed all four tires of his car.
3

noun
A long cut or wound made by slashing.

He was bleeding from a slash across his cheek.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 verb · to cut something violently... gash

3 noun · a long cut or wound made by... gash

More bar crack diagonalforeslashfrontslashlash oblique scourgeseparatrixslantssolidus stroke

Opposites

backslash

Word family

Forms slashedslashesslashing

Derived forms backslashbandslashboyslashbuddyslashenemyslashfemmeslashfemslashfemslasherforeslashfrontslashhack-and-slashnon-slash

Related forms apostrophe brace bracket colon comma dash ellipsis guillemet hyphen interpunctinterrobangperiod

Etymology

Late Middle English, originally a verb of uncertain etymology. Perhaps of imitative origin, or possibly from Old French esclachier (“to break in pieces”), a variant of esclater, which is likely a Germanic borrowing, from Frankish *slaitan (“to slit, tear”). Used in the Wycliffe Bible as slascht (see 1 Kings 5:18) but otherwise unattested until 16th century. Conjunctive use from various applications of the punctuation mark ⟨/⟩. See also slash fiction.

esclachier Old French *slītan frk

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# slash

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /slæʃ/
**IPA (UK):** /slaʃ/
**Frequency rank:** 10288

## Meanings
1. To reduce something, such as a price or budget, by a large amount.
2. To cut something violently with long, sweeping strokes.
3. A long cut or wound made by slashing.

## Examples
- The store slashed its prices to clear out old stock.
- Someone had slashed all four tires of his car.
- He was bleeding from a slash across his cheek.

## Synonyms
- bar
- crack
- diagonal
- foreslash
- frontslash
- lash
- oblique
- scourge
- separatrix
- slants
- solidus
- stroke

## Antonyms
- backslash

## Derived Forms
- backslash
- bandslash
- boyslash
- buddyslash
- enemyslash
- femmeslash
- femslash
- femslasher
- foreslash
- frontslash
- hack-and-slash
- non-slash

## Related Forms
- apostrophe
- brace
- bracket
- colon
- comma
- dash
- ellipsis
- guillemet
- hyphen
- interpunct
- interrobang
- period

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: esclachier
- Root: *slītan

## Etymology
Late Middle English, originally a verb of uncertain etymology. Perhaps of imitative origin, or possibly from Old French esclachier (“to break in pieces”), a variant of esclater, which is likely a Germanic borrowing, from Frankish *slaitan (“to slit, tear”). Used in the Wycliffe Bible as slascht (see 1 Kings 5:18) but otherwise unattested until 16th century. Conjunctive use from various applications of the punctuation mark ⟨/⟩. See also slash fiction.

## AI Etymology
Slash: Late Middle English, originally a verb of uncertain etymology. Perhaps of imitative origin, or possibly from Old French esclachier (“to break in pieces”), a variant of esclater, which is likely a Germanic borrowing, from Frankish *slaitan (“to slit, tear”). Used in the Wycliffe Bible as slascht (see 1 Kings 5:18) but otherwise unattested until 16th century. Conjunctive use from various applications of the punctuation mark ⟨/⟩. See also slash fiction. Important forms in the word's history include Old French esclachier, frk *slītan. In current use it includes senses such as To reduce something, such as a price or budget, by a large amount and To cut something violently with long, sweeping strokes.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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