slive

1 of 2

transitive verb

ˈslīv

-ed/-ing/-s

dialectal, chiefly England

: to slice off or cut through

slive

2 of 2

intransitive verb

"

slove

ˈslōv

; slived; sliving; slives

dialectal, chiefly England

: to move furtively : sidle

Word History

Etymology

Transitive verb

Middle English sliven, from (assumed) Old English slīfan (whence tōslīfan to split); probably akin to Old English slītan to tear apart

Intransitive verb

obsolete slive to cause to slip, slip (clothes) on, to slip away, from Middle English sliven, alteration of sleven, from Old English slēfan to slip (clothes) on

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!