slow

== English == === Etymology === From Middle English slaw, slow, from Old English slāw (“lazy; inert, slow”), from Proto-West Germanic *slaiw, from Proto-Germanic *slaiwaz (“blunt; dull; exhausted, faint, sluggish, weak, weary; listless, torpid; dim-witted, slow; lazy, slack”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *sleyH-u- (“bad”). === Pronunciation === (UK) IPA(key): /sləʊ/ (Northumbria) IPA(key): /slaː/ (US) IPA(key): /sloʊ/ Rhymes: -əʊ Homophone: sloe === Adjective === slow (comparative slower, superlative slowest) Taking a long time to move or go a short distance, or to perform an action; not quick in motion; proceeding at a low speed. Not happening in a short time; spread over a comparatively long time. (informal, somewhat derogatory) Of reduced intellectual capacity; not quick to comprehend. Not hasty; not tending to hurry; acting with deliberation or caution. (of a clock or the like) Behind in time; indicating a time earlier than the true time. Lacking spirit; deficient in liveliness or briskness. (of a period of time) Not busy; lacking activity. ==== Synonyms ==== (taking a long time to move a short distance): deliberate; moderate; see also Thesaurus:slow (not happening in a short time): gradual; see also Thesaurus:gradual (of reduced intellectual capacity): dull-witted; see also Thesaurus:stupid (acting with deliberation): careful, deliberate, prudent; see also Thesaurus:cautious (behind in time): behind (lacking spirit): boring, dilatory, dull, inactive, tardy, slothful, sluggish; see also Thesaurus:inactive or Thesaurus:boring (not busy): quiet, unbusy ==== Antonyms ==== (antonym(s) of “taking a long time to move a short distance”): fast, quick, rapid, swift; see also Thesaurus:speedy (antonym(s) of “not happening in a short time”): abrupt, sudden; see also Thesaurus:sudden (antonym(s) of “of reduced intellectual capacity”): keen, quick, quick-witted; see also Thesaurus:intelligent (antonym(s) of “acting with deliberation”): hasty, precipitate, prompt; see also Thesaurus:prompt (antonym(s) of “behind in time”): accurate, fast (antonym(s) of “lacking spirit”): brisk, lively; see also Thesaurus:active (antonym(s) of “not busy”): hectic ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Verb === slow (third-person singular simple present slows, present participle slowing, simple past and past participle slowed) (transitive) To make (something) run, move, etc. less quickly; to reduce the speed of. (transitive) To keep from going quickly; to hinder the progress of. (intransitive) To become slow; to slacken in speed; to decelerate. ==== Synonyms ==== (keep from going quickly): delay, hinder, retard (become slow): decelerate, slacken ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Noun === slow (plural slows) Someone who is slow; a sluggard. (music) A slow song. === Adverb === slow (comparative slower, superlative slowest) Slowly. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Anagrams === Lows, OWLs, lows, owls, sowl == French == === Etymology === Pseudo-anglicism, derived from slow. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /slo/ Rhymes: -o Hyphenation: slow === Noun === slow m (plural slows) waltz (slow waltz, English waltz) ==== See also ==== quick === Further reading === “slow”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012 == Lower Sorbian == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈslɔw/ Rhymes: -ɔw Syllabification: slow === Noun === slow genitive of slě