To slick UP, verb. phr. (American).—To TITTIVATE (q.v.); to smarten; to put in order.
1840. Clavers, Montacute, 211. Mrs. Flyer was slicked up for the occasion, in the snuff-colored silk she was married in.
1843. Carlton, New Purchase, 1. 72. The caps most in vogue then were made of dark, coarse, knotted twine, like a cabbage-net, worn, as the wives said, to save slicking up, and to hide dirt.
1865. Major Downing, Mayday, 43. The house was all slicked up as neat as a pin, and the things in every room all sot to rights.
Slick-a-die, subs. phr. (thieves').—A
pocket-book: see Dee.
Slicker, subs. (Western American).—An
overcoat: spec. a
waterproof: also sleeker.
1882. Roosevelt [Century Mag., xxxv. 864]. We had turned the horses loose, and in our oilskin slickers covered, soaked and comfortless, under the lee of the wagon.
Slide, verb. (colloquial).—1. To
decamp; to skip (q.v.): also
TO slide out = (1) to leave
stealthily; and (2) to shirk: by
artifice.
18[?]. R. S. Willis, Student's Song [Bartlett]. Broken is the band that held us, We must cut our sticks and SLIDE.
1896. Lillard, Poker Stories, 150. He is supposed to gather his hat and coat, and slide at once.
1899. Whiteing, John St., xxi. Cheese it, an' slide.
2. (colloquial).—To backslide; to weaken (q.v.): e.g. from a resolution, attitude, or promise. As subs. = an error, a falling away; sliding = transgression.
1603. Shakspeare, Meas. for Meas., ii. 4, 115. Proved the sliding of your brother A merriment than a vice.
1620. Ford, Line of Life [Century]. The least blemish, the least slide, the least error, the least offence, is exasperated, made capital.
To LET slide, verb. phr. (old colloquial).—To let go; to allow things to take care of themselves.
1369. Chaucer, Troilus, v. 357. So sholdestow endure and laten slyde The time. Ibid. (1383), Cant. Tales, 'Clerkes Tale,' 26. Wel neigh all other cures let he SLIDE.
1420. Palladius, Hosbondrie [E. E. T. S.], 64. Lette that crafte SLYDE.
1593. Shakspeare, Taming of Shrew, Induct. i. 6. Let the world SLIDE.
TO DO A SLIDE UP THE BOARD (or straight), verb. phr. (venery).—To copulate: see Greens and Ride.
Slide-groat, subs. phr. (old).—Shove-halfpenny
(q.v.).
1528. Holinshed, Chron. of Ireland. The lieutenant and he for their disport were plaieing at slide-grote or shoofle-board.
Slider, subs. (old).—In pl. =
drawers.
1700. Dickenson, God's Prot. Prov. [Century]. A shirt and sliders.
Slide-thrift. See Shovel-BOARD.
Slim, subs. (Old Cant).—See quot.
1789. Parker, Variegated Characters. . . . A bobstick of rum slim, a shilling's worth of rum
Adj. (colloquial).—Delicate; feeble.
1877. Jewett, Deephaven, 169. She's had slim health of late years.
Adv. (colloquial).—Resourceful; smart (q.v.). [In provincial English slim = sly, cunning, awry: the popular use of the word during the South African War, 1899-1902, largely, if not wholly = mere artfulness.]
