Chapter 58

Skunk"head` (?), n. (Zoöl.) (a) The surf duck. (b) A duck (Camptolaimus Labradorus) which formerly inhabited the Atlantic coast of New England. It is now supposed to be extinct. Called also Labrador duck, and pied duck.

Skunk"ish, a. Like the skunk, especially in odor.

Skunk"top` (?), n. (Zoöl.) The surf duck.

Skunk"weed` (?), n. (Bot.) Skunk cabbage.

Skur"ry (?), n. & v. See Scurry.

Skute (?), n. [Icel. sk&?;ta; akin to Sw. skuta, Dan. skude, D. schuit, Lg. schüte, and E. schoot, v.t.] A boat; a small vessel. [Obs.] Sir R. Williams.

Skut"ter*ud*ite (?), n. [From Skutterud, in Norway, whence it is obtained.] (Min.) A mineral of a bright metallic luster and tin-white to pale lead- gray color. It consists of arsenic and cobalt.

Sky (sk), n.; pl. Skies (skz). [OE. skie a cloud, Icel. sk; akin to Sw. & Dan. sky; cf. AS. sca, scwa, shadow, Icel. skuggi; probably from the same root as E. scum. √158. See Scum, and cf. Hide skin, Obscure.] 1. A cloud. [Obs.]

[A wind] that blew so hideously and high, That it ne lefte not a sky In all the welkin long and broad.

Chaucer.

2. Hence, a shadow. [Obs.]

She passeth as it were a sky.

Gower.

3. The apparent arch, or vault, of heaven, which in a clear day is of a blue color; the heavens; the firmament; - - sometimes in the plural.

The Norweyan banners flout the sky.

Shak.

4. The wheather; the climate.

Thou wert better in thy grave than to answer with thy uncovered body this extremity of the skies.

Shak.

Sky is often used adjectively or in the formation of self-explaining compounds; as, sky color, skylight, sky-aspiring, sky-born, sky-pointing, sky- roofed, etc.

Sky blue, an azure color. -- Sky scraper (Naut.), a skysail of a triangular form. Totten. -- Under open sky, out of doors. "Under open sky adored." Milton.

Sky, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Skied (?) or Skyed; p. pr. & vb. n. Skying (?).] 1. To hang (a picture on exhibition) near the top of a wall, where it can not be well seen. [Colloq.]

Brother Academicians who skied his pictures.

The Century.

2. To throw towards the sky; as, to sky a ball at cricket. [Colloq.]

Sky"-blue (?), a. Having the blue color of the sky; azure; as, a sky-blue stone. Wordsworth.

Skyed (?), a. Surrounded by sky. [Poetic & R.] "The skyed mountain." Thomson.

Skye" ter"ri*er (?). (Zoöl.) See Terrier.

Sky"ey (?), a. Like the sky; ethereal; being in the sky. "Skyey regions." Thackeray.

Sublime on the towers of my skyey bowers, Lightning, my pilot, sits.

Shelley.

Sky"-high` (?), adv. & a. Very high. [Colloq.]

Sky"ish, a. Like the sky, or approaching the sky; lofty; ethereal. [R.] Shak.

Sky"lark` (?), n. (Zoöl.) A lark that mounts and sings as it files, especially the common species (Alauda arvensis) found in Europe and in some parts of Asia, and celebrated for its melodious song; -- called also sky laverock. See under Lark.

The Australian skylark (Cincloramphus cantillans) is a pipit which has the habit of ascending perpendicularly like a skylark, but it lacks the song of a true lark. The Missouri skylark is a pipit (Anthus Spraguei) of the Western United States, resembling the skylark in habit and song.

Sky"lark"ing, n. The act of running about the rigging of a vessel in sport; hence, frolicking; scuffing; sporting; carousing. [Colloq.]

Sky"light` (?), n. A window placed in the roof of a building, in the ceiling of a room, or in the deck of a ship, for the admission of light from above.

Sky"rock`et (?), n. A rocket that ascends high and burns as it flies; a species of fireworks.

Sky"sail (?), n. (Naut.) The sail set next above the royal. See Illust. under Sail.

Sky"ward (?), a. & adv. Toward the sky.

Slab (?), n. [OE. slabbe, of uncertain origin; perhaps originally meaning, a smooth piece, and akin to slape, Icel. sleipr slippery, and E. slip, v. i.] 1. A thin piece of anything, especially of marble or other stone, having plane surfaces. Gwilt.

2. An outside piece taken from a log or timber in sawing it into boards, planks, etc.

3. (Zoöl.) The wryneck. [Prov. Eng.]

4. (Naut.) The slack part of a sail.

Slab line (Naut.), a line or small rope by which seamen haul up the foot of the mainsail or foresail. Totten.

Slab, a. [Cf. Gael. & Ir. slaib mud, mire left on a river strand, and E. slop puddle.] Thick; viscous. [Obs.]

Make the gruel thick and slab.

Shak.

Slab, n. That which is slimy or viscous; moist earth; mud; also, a puddle. [Obs.] Evelyn.

Slab"ber (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Slabbered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Slabbering.] [OE. slaberen; akin to LG. & D. slabbern, G. schlabbern, LG. & D. slabben, G. schlabben, Icel. slafra. Cf. Slaver, Slobber, Slubber.] To let saliva or some liquid fall from the mouth carelessly, like a child or an idiot; to drivel; to drool. [Written also slaver, and slobber.]

Slab"ber, v. t. 1. To wet and foul spittle, or as if with spittle.

He slabbered me over, from cheek to cheek, with his great tongue.

Arbuthnot.

2. To spill liquid upon; to smear carelessly; to spill, as liquid foed or drink, in careless eating or drinking.

The milk pan and cream pot so slabbered and tost That butter is wanting and cheese is half lost.

Tusser.

Slab"ber, n. Spittle; saliva; slaver.

Slab"ber (?), n. [See 1st Slab.] (Mach.) (a) A saw for cutting slabs from logs. (b) A slabbing machine.

Slab"ber*er (?), n. One who slabbers, or drools; hence, an idiot.

Slab"ber*y (?), a. Like, or covered with, slabber or slab; slippery; sloppy.

Slab"bi*ness (?), n. Quality of being slabby.

Slab"bing (?), a. [See 1st Slab.] Adapted for forming slabs, or for dressing flat surfaces.

Slabbing machine, a milling machine.

Slab"by (?), a. [Compar. Slabbier (?); superl. Slabbiest.] [See Slab, a.] 1. Thick; viscous.

They present you with a cup, and you must drink of a slabby stuff.

Selden.

2. Sloppy; slimy; miry. See Sloppy. Gay.

Slab"-sid`ed (?), a. Having flat sides; hence, tall, or long and lank. [Colloq. U. S.]

Slack (?), n. [Cf. Slag.] Small coal; also, coal dust; culm. Raymond.

Slack, n. [Icel. slakki a slope on a mountain edge.] A valley, or small, shallow dell. [Prov. Eng.] Grose.

Slack, a. [Compar. Slacker (?); superl. Slackest.] [OE. slak, AS. sleac; akin to OS. slak, OHG. slah, Prov. G. schlack, Icel. slakr, Sw. slak; cf. Skr. sj to let loose, to throw. Cf. Slake.] Lax; not tense; not hard drawn; not firmly extended; as, a slack rope.

2. Weak; not holding fast; as, a slack hand. Milton.

3. Remiss; backward; not using due diligence or care; not earnest or eager; as, slack in duty or service.

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness.

2 Pet. iii. 9.

4. Not violent, rapid, or pressing; slow; moderate; easy; as, business is slack. "With slack pace." Chaucer.

C&?;sar . . . about sunset, hoisting sail with a slack southwest, at midnight was becalmed.

Milton.

Slack in stays (Naut.), slow in going about, as a ship. -- Slack water, the time when the tide runs slowly, or the water is at rest; or the interval between the flux and reflux of the tide. -- Slack-water navigation, navigation in a stream the depth of which has been increased, and the current diminished, by a dam or dams.

Syn. -- Loose; relaxed; weak; remiss; backward; abated; diminished; inactive; slow; tardy; dull.

Slack (?), adv. Slackly; as, slack dried hops.

Slack, n. The part of anything that hangs loose, having no strain upon it; as, the slack of a rope or of a sail.

{ Slack (?), Slack"en (?), } v. i. [imp. & p. p. Slacked (?), Slackened (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Slacking, Slackening.] [See Slack, a.] 1. To become slack; to be made less tense, firm, or rigid; to decrease in tension; as, a wet cord slackens in dry weather.

2. To be remiss or backward; to be negligent.

3. To lose cohesion or solidity by a chemical combination with water; to slake; as, lime slacks.

4. To abate; to become less violent.

Whence these raging fires Will slacken, if his breath stir not their flames.

Milton.

5. To lose rapidity; to become more slow; as, a current of water slackens.

6. To languish; to fail; to flag.

7. To end; to cease; to desist; to slake. [Obs.]

That through your death your lineage should slack.

Chaucer.

They will not of that firste purpose slack.

Chaucer.

{ Slack, Slack"en, } v. t. 1. To render slack; to make less tense or firm; as, to slack a rope; to slacken a bandage. Wycklif (Acts xxvii. 40)

2. To neglect; to be remiss in. [Obs.] Shak.

Slack not the pressage.

Dryden.

3. To deprive of cohesion by combining chemically with water; to slake; as, to slack lime.

4. To cause to become less eager; to repress; to make slow or less rapid; to retard; as, to slacken pursuit; to slacken industry. "Rancor for to slack." Chaucer.

I should be grieved, young prince, to think my presence Unbent your thoughts, and slackened 'em to arms.

Addison.

In this business of growing rich, poor men should slack their pace.

South.

With such delay Well plased, they slack their course.

Milton.

5. To cause to become less intense; to mitigate; to abate; to ease.

To respite, or deceive, or slack thy pain Of this ill mansion.

Milton.

Air-slacked lime, lime slacked by exposure to the air, in consequence of the absorption of carton dioxide and water, by which it is converted into carbonate of lime and hydrate of lime.

Slack"en (?), n. (Metal.) A spongy, semivitrifled substance which miners or smelters mix with the ores of metals to prevent their fusion. [Written also slakin.]

Slack"ly, adv. In a slack manner. Trench.

Slack"ness, n. The quality or state of being slack.

Slade (?), n. [AS. sl&?;d.] 1. A little dell or valley; a flat piece of low, moist ground. [Obs.] Drayton.

2. The sole of a plow.

Slag (?), n. [Sw. slagg, or LG. slacke, whence G. schlacke; originally, perhaps, the splinters struck off from the metal by hammering. See Slay, v. t.] 1. The dross, or recrement, of a metal; also, vitrified cinders.

2. The scoria of a volcano.

Slag furnace, or Slag hearth (Metal.), a furnace, or hearth, for extracting lead from slags or poor ore. -- Slag wool, mineral wool. See under Mineral.

Slag"gy (?), a. Of or pertaining to slag; resembling slag; as, slaggy cobalt.

Slaie (?), n. [See Sley.] A weaver's reed; a sley.

Slake (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Slaked (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Slaking.] [OE. slaken to render slack, to slake, AS. sleacian, fr. sleac slack. See Slack, v. & a.] 1. To allay; to quench; to extinguish; as, to slake thirst. "And slake the heavenly fire." Spenser.

It could not slake mine ire nor ease my heart.

Shak.

2. To mix with water, so that a true chemical combination shall take place; to slack; as, to slake lime.

Slake, v. i. 1. To go out; to become extinct. "His flame did slake." Sir T. Browne.

2. To abate; to become less decided. [R.] Shak.

3. To slacken; to become relaxed. "When the body's strongest sinews slake." [R.] Sir J. Davies.

4. To become mixed with water, so that a true chemical combination takes place; as, the lime slakes.

Slake trough, a trough containing water in which a blacksmith cools a forging or tool.

Slake"less, a. Not capable of being slaked.

Slak"in (?), n. (Metal.) Slacken.

Slam (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Slammed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Slamming.] [Of Scand. origin; cf. Icel. slamra, slambra, sl&?;ma, Norw. slemba, slemma, dial. Sw. slämma.] 1. To shut with force and a loud noise; to bang; as, he slammed the door.

2. To put in or on some place with force and loud noise; -- usually with down; as, to slam a trunk down on the pavement.

3. To strike with some implement with force; hence, to beat or cuff. [Prov. Eng.]

4. To strike down; to slaughter. [Prov. Eng.]

5. To defeat (opponents at cards) by winning all the tricks of a deal or a hand. Hoyle.

To slam to, to shut or close with a slam. "He slammed to the door." W. D. Howells.

Slam, v. i. To come or swing against something, or to shut, with sudden force so as to produce a shock and noise; as, a door or shutter slams.

Slam, n. 1. The act of one who, or that which, slams.

2. The shock and noise produced in slamming.

The slam and the scowl were lost upon Sam.

Dickens.

3. (Card Playing) Winning all the tricks of a deal.

4. The refuse of alum works. [Prov. Eng.]

Slam"-bang` (?), adv. With great violence; with a slamming or banging noise. [Colloq.]

{ Slam"kin (?), Slam"mer*kin (?), } n. [Cf. G. schlampe, schlamp, dim. schlämpchen; schlampen to dangle, to be slovenly in one's dress.] A slut; a slatternly woman. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.]

Slan"der (?), n. [OE. sclandere, OF. esclandre, esclandle, escandre, F. esclandre, fr. L. scandalum, Gr. &?;&?;&?; a snare, stumbling block, offense, scandal; probably originally, the spring of a trap, and akin to Skr. skand to spring, leap. See Scan, and cf. Scandal.] 1. A false tale or report maliciously uttered, tending to injure the reputation of another; the malicious utterance of defamatory reports; the dissemination of malicious tales or suggestions to the injury of another.

Whether we speak evil of a man to his face or behind his back; the former way, indeed, seems to be the most generous, but yet is a great fault, and that which we call "reviling;" the latter is more mean and base, and that which we properly call "slander", or "Backbiting."

Tillotson.

[We] make the careful magistrate The mark of slander.

B. Jonson.

<! p. 1352 !>

2. Disgrace; reproach; dishonor; opprobrium.

Thou slander of thy mother's heavy womb.

Shak.

3. (Law) Formerly, defamation generally, whether oral or written; in modern usage, defamation by words spoken; utterance of false, malicious, and defamatory words, tending to the damage and derogation of another; calumny. See the Note under Defamation. Burril.

Slan"der (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Slandered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Slandering.] 1. To defame; to injure by maliciously uttering a false report; to tarnish or impair the reputation of by false tales maliciously told or propagated; to calumniate.

O, do not slander him, for he is kind.

Shak.

2. To bring discredit or shame upon by one's acts.

Tax not so bad a voice To slander music any more than once.

Shak.

Syn. -- To asperse; defame; calumniate; vilify; malign; belie; scandalize; reproach. See Asperse.

Slan"der*er (?), n. One who slanders; a defamer; a calumniator. Jer. Taylor.

Slan"der*ous (?), a. 1. Given or disposed to slander; uttering slander. "Slanderous tongue." Shak.

2. Embodying or containing slander; calumnious; as, slanderous words, speeches, or reports.

-- Slan"der*ous*ly, adv. -- Slan"der*ous*ness, n.

Slang (?), imp. of Sling. Slung. [Archaic]

Slang, n. Any long, narrow piece of land; a promontory. [Local, Eng.] Holland.

Slang, n. [Cf. Sling.] A fetter worn on the leg by a convict. [Eng.]

Slang, n. [Said to be of Gypsy origin; but probably from Scand., and akin to E. sling; cf. Norw. sleng a slinging, an invention, device, slengja to sling, to cast, slengja kjeften (literally, to sling the jaw) to use abusive language, to use slang, slenjeord (ord = word) an insulting word, a new word that has no just reason for being.] Low, vulgar, unauthorized language; a popular but unauthorized word, phrase, or mode of expression; also, the jargon of some particular calling or class in society; low popular cant; as, the slang of the theater, of college, of sailors, etc.

Slang, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Slanged (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Slanging.] To address with slang or ribaldry; to insult with vulgar language. [Colloq.]

Every gentleman abused by a cabman or slanged by a bargee was bound there and then to take off his coat and challenge him to fisticuffs.

London Spectator.

Slang"i*ness (?), n. Quality of being slangy.

Slan"gous (?), a. Slangy. [R.] John Bee.

Slang"-whang`er (?), n. [Slang + whang to beat.] One who uses abusive slang; a ranting partisan. [Colloq. or Humorous] W. Irving.

Slang"y (?), a. Of or pertaining to slang; of the nature of slang; disposed to use slang. [Written also slangey.]

Slank (?), imp. & p. p. of Slink.

Slant (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Slanted; p. pr. & vb. n. Slanting.] [OE. slenten to slope, slide; cf. Sw. slinta to slide.] To be turned or inclined from a right line or level; to lie obliquely; to slope.

On the side of younder slanting hill.

Dodsley.

Slant, v. t. To turn from a direct line; to give an oblique or sloping direction to; as, to slant a line.

Slant, n. 1. A slanting direction or plane; a slope; as, it lies on a slant.

2. An oblique reflection or gibe; a sarcastic remark.

Slant or wind, a local variation of the wind from its general direction.

Slant, a. [Cf. dial. Sw. slant. See Slant, v. i.] Inclined from a direct line, whether horizontal or perpendicular; sloping; oblique. "The slant lightning." Milton.

Slant"ing, a. Oblique; sloping. -- Slant"ing*ly, adv.

{ Slant"wise` (?), Slant"ly }, adv. In an inclined direction; obliquely; slopingly.

Slap (?), n. [OE. slappe; akin to LG. slappe, G. schlappe; probably of imitative origin.] A blow, esp. one given with the open hand, or with something broad.

Slap, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Slapped (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Slapping.] To strike with the open hand, or with something broad.

Slap, adv. [Cf. LG. slap, G. schlapp. See Slap, n.] With a sudden and violent blow; hence, quickly; instantly; directly. [Colloq.] "The railroad cars drive slap into the city." Thackeray.

Slap"dash` (?), adv. [Slap + dash.] 1. In a bold, careless manner; at random. [Colloq.]

2. With a slap; all at once; slap. [Colloq.] Prior.

Slap"dash`, v. t. To apply, or apply something to, in a hasty, careless, or rough manner; to roughcast; as, to slapdash mortar or paint on a wall, or to slapdash a wall. [Colloq.] Halliwell.

Slape (?), a. [Icel. sleipr slippery; akin to E. slip.] Slippery; smooth; crafty; hypocritical. [Prov. Eng.]

Slape ale, plain ale, as opposed to medicated or mixed ale. [Prov. Eng.]

Slape"face` (?), n. A soft-spoken, crafty hypocrite. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.

Slap"jack` (?), n. A flat batter cake cooked on a griddle; a flapjack; a griddlecake. [Local, U.S.]

Slap"per (?), n. 1. One who, or that which, slaps.

2. Anything monstrous; a whopper. [Slang] Grose.

{ Slap"per (?), Slap"ping (?), } a. Very large; monstrous; big. [Slang.]

Slash, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Slashed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Slashing.] [OE. slaschen, of uncertain origin; cf. OF. esclachier to break, esclechier, esclichier, to break, and E. slate, slice, slit, v. t.] 1. To cut by striking violently and at random; to cut in long slits.

2. To lash; to ply the whip to. [R.] King.

3. To crack or snap, as a whip. [R.] Dr. H. More.

Slash, v. i. To strike violently and at random, esp. with an edged instrument; to lay about one indiscriminately with blows; to cut hastily and carelessly.

Hewing and slashing at their idle shades.

Spenser.

Slash, n. 1. A long cut; a cut made at random.

2. A large slit in the material of any garment, made to show the lining through the openings.

3. [Cf. Slashy.] pl. Swampy or wet lands overgrown with bushes. [Local, U.S.] Bartlett.

Slashed (?), a. 1. Marked or cut with a slash or slashes; deeply gashed; especially, having long, narrow openings, as a sleeve or other part of a garment, to show rich lining or under vesture.

A gray jerkin, with scarlet and slashed sleeves.

Sir W. Scott.

2. (Bot.) Divided into many narrow parts or segments by sharp incisions; laciniate.

Slash"er (?), n. (Textile Manuf.) A machine for applying size to warp yarns.

Slash" pine" (?). (Bot.) A kind of pine tree (Pinus Cubensis) found in Southern Florida and the West Indies; -- so called because it grows in "slashes."

Slash"y (?), a. [Cf. Sw. slaska to dabble in water. Cf. Slush.] Wet and dirty; slushy. [Prov. Eng.]

Slat (?), n. [CF. Slot a bar.] A thin, narrow strip or bar of wood or metal; as, the slats of a window blind.

Slat, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Slatted; p. pr. & vb. n. Slatting.] [OE. slatten; cf. Icel. sletta to slap, to dab.] 1. To slap; to strike; to beat; to throw down violently. [Prov. Eng. & Colloq. U.S.]

How did you kill him? Slat[t]ed his brains out.

Marston.

2. To split; to crack. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.

3. To set on; to incite. See 3d Slate. [Prov. Eng.]

Slatch (?), n. [See Slack.] (Naut.) (a) The period of a transitory breeze. (b) An interval of fair weather. (c) The loose or slack part of a rope; slack.

Slate (?), n. [OE. slat, OF. esclat a shiver, splinter, F. éclat, fr. OF. esclater to shiver, to chip, F. éclater, fr. OHG. sliezen to tear, slit, split, fr. slzan to slit, G. schleissen. See Slit, v. t., and cf. Eclat.] 1. (Min.) An argillaceous rock which readily splits into thin plates; argillite; argillaceous schist.

2. Any rock or stone having a slaty structure.

3. A prepared piece of such stone. Especially: (a) A thin, flat piece, for roofing or covering houses, etc. (b) A tablet for writing upon.

4. An artificial material, resembling slate, and used for the above purposes.

5. A thin plate of any material; a flake. [Obs.]

6. (Politics) A list of candidates, prepared for nomination or for election; a list of candidates, or a programme of action, devised beforehand. [Cant, U.S.] Bartlett.

Adhesive slate (Min.), a kind of slate of a greenish gray color, which absorbs water rapidly, and adheres to the tongue; whence the name. -- Aluminous slate, or Alum slate (Min.), a kind of slate containing sulphate of alumina, -- used in the manufacture of alum. -- Bituminous slate (Min.), a soft species of sectile clay slate, impregnated with bitumen. -- Hornblende slate (Min.), a slaty rock, consisting essentially of hornblende and feldspar, useful for flagging on account of its toughness. -- Slate ax or axe, a mattock with an ax end, used in shaping slates for roofs, and making holes in them for the nails. -- Slate clay (Geol.), an indurated clay, forming one of the alternating beds of the coal measures, consisting of an infusible compound of alumina and silica, and often used for making fire bricks. Tomlinson. -- Slate globe, a globe the surface of which is made of an artificial slatelike material. -- Slate pencil, a pencil of slate, or of soapstone, used for writing on a slate. -- Slate rocks (Min.), rocks which split into thin laminæ, not necessarily parallel to the stratification; foliated rocks. -- Slate spar (Min.), a variety of calcite of silvery white luster and of a slaty structure. -- Transparent slate, a plate of translucent material, as ground glass, upon which a copy of a picture, placed beneath it, can be made by tracing.

Slate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Slated; p. pr. & vb. n. Slating.] 1. To cover with slate, or with a substance resembling slate; as, to slate a roof; to slate a globe.

2. To register (as on a slate and subject to revision), for an appointment. [Polit. Cant]

Slate, v. t. [Cf. AS. slting a privilege of hunting.] To set a dog upon; to bait; to slat. See 2d Slat, 3. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.] [Written also slete.] Ray.

Slate"-col`or (?). A dark bluish gray color.

Slate"-gray` (?), a. Of a dark gray, like slate.

Slat"er (?), n. One who lays slates, or whose occupation is to slate buildings.

Slat"er, n. (Zoöl.) Any terrestrial isopod crustacean of the genus Porcellio and allied genera; a sow bug.

Slat"ing, n. 1. The act of covering with slate, slates, or a substance resembling slate; the work of a slater.

2. Slates, collectively; also, material for slating.

Slatt (?), n. [See Slat a strip of board.] A slab of stone used as a veneer for coarse masonry. Knight.

Slat"ter (?), v. i. [E. slat to throw or dash about.] To be careless, negligent, or aswkward, esp. with regard to dress and neatness; to be wasteful. Ray.

Slat"tern (?), n. A woman who is negligent of her dress or house; one who is not neat and nice.

Slat"tern, a. Resembling a slattern; sluttish; slatterny. "The slattern air." Gay.

Slat"tern (?), v. t. To consume carelessly or wastefully; to waste; -- with away. [R.] Chesterfield.