slide

views updated May 11 2018

slide / slīd/ • v. (past slid / slid/ ) [intr.] move along a smooth surface while maintaining continuous contact with it: she slid down the bank into the water| [as adj.] (sliding) the tank should have a sliding glass cover. ∎  [tr.] move (something) along a surface in such a way: she slid the keys over the table. ∎  move smoothly, quickly, or unobtrusively: I quickly slid into a seat at the back of the hall. ∎  [tr.] move (something) in such a way: she slid the bottle into her pocket. ∎  change gradually to a worse condition or lower level: the country faces the prospect of sliding from recession into slump.• n. 1. a structure with a smooth sloping surface for children to slide down. ∎  a smooth stretch or slope of ice or packed snow for sledding on. ∎  an act of moving along a smooth surface while maintaining continuous contact with it: use an ice ax to halt a slide on ice and snow. ∎  Baseball a sliding approach to a base along the ground. ∎  a decline in value or quality: the current slide in house prices.2. a part of a machine or musical instrument that slides. ∎  the place on a machine or instrument where a sliding part operates. ∎  slide guitar: I'd been playing slide for years.3. (also microscope slide) a rectangular piece of glass on which an object is mounted or placed for examination under a microscope. ∎  a mounted transparency, typically one placed in a projector for viewing on a screen: [as adj.] a slide show. PHRASES: let something slide negligently allow something to deteriorate: Papa had let the business slide after Mama's death.DERIVATIVES: slid·a·ble adj.

slide

views updated May 18 2018

slide.
1. In vn.-playing, expressive means of passing from one note to another, usually at distance of a 3rd or 4th. Paganini introduced virtuoso slide by executing chromatic passages, singly or in 3rds, with the same fingers.

2. Device fitted to wind instr. to adjust the pitch by altering length of vibrating air-column. Mainly used on tb.

3. An ornament; when 2 or more notes approach main note by conjunct motion.

slide

views updated May 18 2018

slide pt. and pp. slid. OE. str. vb. slīdan = LG. slīden, MHG. slīten, rel. to OE. slidor slippery, slid(e)rian SLITHER.
Hence sb. XVI.

slide

views updated May 08 2018

slide See GRAVITY SLIDING.

More From encyclopedia.com