slope
slope Lexical Profile
slope Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A natural landmass or stretch of ground, such as the side of a hill, mountain, or valley, that rises or falls at an angle rather than lying flat.
"Hikers followed a narrow trail winding up the wooded slope of the mountain."
A surface of which one end or side is at a higher level than another, or the degree of such an upward or downward slant.
"The architect designed the roof with a steep slope so that heavy winter snow would slide off easily."
In mathematics, the measure of the steepness and direction of a line, defined as the ratio of the vertical change to the horizontal change between any two distinct points on the line.
"Students learned how to calculate the slope of a linear equation using two coordinates on a graph."
• verb
To slant, incline, or lie at an oblique angle upward or downward from a horizontal or vertical line.
"The backyard garden slopes gently down toward the edge of the creek."
British To walk or move in an aimless, casual, or furtive manner (often followed by 'off' or 'away').
"He sloped off toward the kitchen to make a cup of tea before the meeting resumed."
• Rhymes for slope
Word Origin & Etymology
First recorded in the late 15th century, likely derived from the Middle English adverb 'aslope' (at an incline), ultimately tracing back to the Old English verb 'slupan', meaning to slip or glide.