Slide vs. Slip — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on October 25, 2023
Slide typically implies a smooth, deliberate motion over a surface, while slip suggests an unintentional loss of balance or grip.
Difference Between Slide and Slip
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Slide often conveys a controlled movement, where an object or person intentionally moves across a surface, usually with ease and grace. Slip, in contrast, typically indicates an accidental movement, often resulting in an unexpected change of position or direction.
When we think of "slide," we might imagine children playing on a playground slide, where the action is both anticipated and directed. However, "slip" conjures images of someone walking on ice and suddenly losing their footing, causing an unintended shift.
In some contexts, both words can have overlapping meanings. For instance, a vehicle can "slide" or "slip" on a wet road. In such scenarios, while "slide" might suggest the car moving without rolling, "slip" could imply a sudden loss of traction.
The word "slide" can also be used in the context of presentations, referring to individual pages or visuals. "Slip," on the other hand, might be used to denote a small piece of paper or a minor mistake in speech or action.
"Slip" can also possess nuanced meanings, such as a decline in standards or a brief lingerie garment. In contrast, "slide" in musical contexts can refer to a gliding transition between notes or even a specific instrument component.
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Comparison Chart
Primary Usage
Controlled, smooth movement over a surface.
Accidental loss of balance or traction.
Intentionality
Often deliberate.
Usually unintentional.
Contextual Variations
Can refer to presentation visuals or a musical transition.
Can mean a minor mistake, a decline, or a type of garment.
Physical Action
Usually lacks abruptness.
Implies suddenness.
Associated Imagery
Playground slides, sliding doors.
Slipping on ice, a "slip of the tongue".
Compare with Definitions
Slide
To pass smoothly and quietly; glide
Slid past the door without anyone noticing.
Slip
A decline in standards or behavior.
There's been a slip in his work ethic lately.
Slide
An individual page or image in a presentation.
This slide showcases our quarterly profits.
Slip
To move smoothly, easily, and quietly
Slipped into bed.
Slide
A musical transition or instrument part.
He used a slide to achieve that guitar sound.
Slip
To move stealthily; steal
Slipped out the back door.
Slide
To move over a surface while maintaining smooth continuous contact.
Slip
To escape, as from a grasp, fastening, or restraint
Slipped out of the wrestler's hold.
Slide
To participate in a sport that involves such movement
Sliding for a medal in luge.
Slip
To put on or remove a piece of clothing smoothly or quietly
Slipped into a nightgown.
Slipped out of the shirt.
Slide
To lose a secure footing or positioning; slip
Slid on the ice and fell.
Slip
To slide involuntarily and lose one's balance or foothold.
Slide
(Baseball) To drop down from a running into a lying or diving position when approaching a base so as to avoid being tagged out.
Slip
To move accidentally out of place or fail to gain traction
The gear slipped.
Slide
To be ignored or not dealt with; drop
Let the matter slide.
Slip
To pass gradually, easily, or imperceptibly into a different state
He slipped into a coma.
Slide
To decrease
Prices slid in morning trading.
Slip
To decline from a former or standard level; fall off
The senator's popularity has slipped.
Slide
To become less favorable or less desirable
Economic conditions have begun to slide.
Slip
To elapse, especially quickly or without notice
The days slipped by.
Slide
To cause to slide or slip
Slid the glass down to the other end of the counter.
Slip
To fall into fault or error. Often used with up.
Slide
To place covertly or deftly
Slid the stolen merchandise into his pocket.
Slip
To place or insert smoothly and quietly
She slipped the letter into her pocket.
Slide
A sliding movement or action.
Slip
To insert (a remark, for example) unobtrusively
Managed to slip his criticisms in before the end of the meeting.
Slide
A smooth, usually inclined surface or track for sliding
A water slide.
Slip
To put on or remove (clothing) easily or quickly
Slip on a sweater.
Slipped off her shoes.
Slide
A playground apparatus for children to slide on, typically consisting of a smooth chute climbed onto by means of a ladder.
Slip
To get loose or free from; elude
Slipped his pursuers.
Slide
A part that operates by sliding, as the U-shaped section of tube on a trombone that is moved to change the pitch.
Slip
To fail to be remembered by
Her name slips my memory.
Slide
A period of decline or loss
"The semiconductor industry is heading for a cyclical slide" (New York Times).
Slip
To release, loose, or unfasten
Slip a knot.
Slide
An image on a transparent base for projection on a screen.
Slip
To unleash or free (a dog or hawk) to pursue game.
Slide
One of a series of images projected digitally as part of a presentation.
Slip
To give birth to prematurely. Used of animals.
Slide
A small glass plate for mounting specimens to be examined under a microscope.
Slip
To dislocate (a bone).
Slide
A fall of a mass of rock, earth, or snow down a slope; an avalanche or landslide.
Slip
To pass (a knitting stitch) from one needle to another without knitting it.
Slide
A backless shoe with an open toe.
Slip
To make a slip from (a plant or plant part).
Slide
A slight portamento used in violin playing, passing quickly from one note to another.
Slip
The act or an instance of slipping or sliding.
Slide
An ornamentation consisting of two grace notes approaching the main note.
Slip
An accident or mishap, especially resulting in a fall.
Slide
A small metal or glass tube worn over a finger or held in the hand, used in playing bottleneck-style guitar.
Slip
An error in conduct or thinking; a mistake.
Slide
The bottleneck style of guitar playing.
Slip
A slight error or oversight, as in speech or writing
A slip of the tongue.
Slide
(ergative) To (cause to) move in continuous contact with a surface.
He slid the boat across the grass.
The safe slid slowly.
Snow slides down the side of a mountain.
Slip
A docking place for a ship between two piers.
Slide
(intransitive) To move on a low-friction surface.
The car slid on the ice.
Slip
A slipway.
Slide
To drop down and skid into a base.
Jones slid into second.
Slip
(Nautical) The difference between a vessel's actual speed through water and the speed at which the vessel would move if the screw were propelling against a solid.
Slide
(intransitive) To lose one’s balance on a slippery surface.
He slid while going around the corner.
Slip
A woman's undergarment of dress length with shoulder straps.
Slide
(transitive) To pass or put imperceptibly; to slip.
To alter the meaning of a question by sliding in a word
Schoolchildren sometimes slide each other notes during class.
Slip
A half-slip.
Slide
(transitive) To subtly direct a facial expression at (someone).
He slid me a dirty look.
Slip
A pillowcase.
Slide
To pass inadvertently.
Slip
A smooth crack at which rock strata have moved on each other.
Slide
(intransitive) To pass along smoothly or unobservedly; to move gently onward without friction or hindrance.
A ship or boat slides through the water.
Slip
A small fault.
Slide
To decrease in amount or value.
The stock market slid yesterday after major stocks released weak quarterly results.
Slip
The relative displacement of formerly adjacent points on opposite sides of a fault.
Slide
(music) To smoothly pass from one note to another by bending the pitch upwards or downwards.
Slip
The difference between optimal and actual output in a mechanical device.
Slide
(regional) To ride down snowy hills upon a toboggan or similar object for recreation.
Slip
Movement between two parts where none should exist, as between a pulley and a belt.
Slide
To go; to move from one place or to another.
Slip
A sideways movement of an airplane when banked too far.
Slide
(soccer) To kick so that the ball slides along the ground with little or no turning.
Slip
A part of a plant cut or broken off for grafting or planting; a scion or cutting.
Slide
An item of play equipment that children can climb up and then slide down again.
The long, red slide was great fun for the kids.
Slip
A long narrow piece; a strip.
Slide
A surface of ice, snow, butter, etc. on which someone can slide for amusement or as a practical joke.
Slip
A slender youthful person
A slip of a child.
Slide
The falling of large amounts of rubble, earth and stones down the slope of a hill or mountain; avalanche.
The slide closed the highway.
Slip
A small piece of paper, especially a small form, document, or receipt
A deposit slip.
Slide
An inclined plane on which heavy bodies slide by the force of gravity, especially one constructed on a mountainside for conveying logs by sliding them down.
Slip
A narrow pew in a church.
Slide
A mechanism consisting of a part which slides on or against a guide.
Slip
Thinned potter's clay used for decorating or coating ceramics.
Slide
The act of sliding; smooth, even passage or progress.
A slide on the ice
Slip
(intransitive) To lose one’s traction on a slippery surface; to slide due to a lack of friction.
Slide
A lever that can be moved in two directions.
Slip
(intransitive) To err.
Slide
A valve that works by sliding, such as in a trombone.
Slip
(intransitive) To accidentally reveal a secret or otherwise say something unintentional.
Slide
(photography) A transparent plate bearing an image to be projected to a screen.
Slip
(intransitive) To move or fly (out of place); to shoot; often with out, off, etc.
A bone may slip out of place.
Slide
A page of a computer presentation package such as PowerPoint.
I still need to prepare some slides for my presentation tomorrow.
Slip
(transitive) To pass (a note, money, etc.), often covertly.
She thanked the porter and slipped a ten-dollar bill into his hand.
Slide
(sciences) A flat, usually rectangular piece of glass or similar material on which a prepared sample may be viewed through a microscope Generally referred to as a microscope slide.
Slip
(transitive) To cause to move smoothly and quickly; to slide; to convey gently or secretly.
Slide
(baseball) The act of dropping down and skidding into a base
Slip
(intransitive) To move quickly and often secretively; to depart, withdraw, enter, appear, intrude, or escape as if by sliding.
Some errors slipped into the appendix.
Slide
A hand-held device made of smooth, hard material, used in the practice of slide guitar.
Slip
To move down; to slide.
Profits have slipped over the past six months.
Slide
A lively dance from County Kerry, in 12/8 time.
Slip
To release (a dog, a bird of prey, etc.) to go after a quarry.
Slide
(geology) A small dislocation in beds of rock along a line of fissure.
Slip
Clipping of sideslip: To fly with the longitudinal axis misaligned with the relative wind.
Slide
(music) A grace consisting of two or more small notes moving by conjoint degrees, and leading to a principal note either above or below.
Slip
To remove the skin of a soft fruit, such as a tomato or peach, by blanching briefly in boiling water, then transferring to cold water so that the skin peels, or slips, off easily.
Slide
(phonetics) A sound which, by a gradual change in the position of the vocal organs, passes imperceptibly into another sound.
Slip
(obsolete) To omit; to lose by negligence.
Slide
A clasp or brooch for a belt, etc.
Slip
(transitive) To cut slips from; to cut; to take off; to make a slip or slips of.
To slip a piece of cloth or paper
Slide
A pocket in one's pants (trousers).
With ten dollars in his slide
Slip
(transitive) To cause to slip or slide off, or out of place.
A horse slips his bridle; a dog slips his collar.
Slide
(footwear) A shoe that is backless and open-toed.
Slip
To bring forth (young) prematurely; to slink.
Slide
(speech therapy) A voluntary stutter used as a technique to control stuttering in one's speech.
Slip
To cause (a schedule or release, etc.) to go, or let it go, beyond the allotted deadline.
Slide
A promiscuous woman, slut.
Slip
An act or instance of slipping.
I had a slip on the ice and bruised my hip.
Slide
To move along the surface of any body by slipping, or without walking or rolling; to slip; to glide; as, snow slides down the mountain's side.
Slip
A woman's undergarment worn under a skirt or dress to conceal unwanted nudity that may otherwise be revealed by the skirt or dress itself; a shift.
Slide
Especially, to move over snow or ice with a smooth, uninterrupted motion, as on a sled moving by the force of gravity, or on the feet.
They bathe in summer, and in winter slide.
Slip
A slipdress.
Slide
To pass inadvertently.
Beware thou slide not by it.
Slip
A mistake or error.
A slip of the tongue
Slide
To pass along smoothly or unobservedly; to move gently onward without friction or hindrance; as, a ship or boat slides through the water.
Ages shall slide away without perceiving.
Parts answering parts shall slide into a whole.
Slip
(nautical) A berth; a space for a ship to moor.
Slide
To slip when walking or standing; to fall.
Their foot shall slide in due time.
Slip
(nautical) A difference between the theoretical distance traveled per revolution of the propeller and the actual advance of the vessel.
Slide
To pass from one note to another with no perceptible cassation of sound.
Slip
(nautical) A slipway.
Slide
To pass out of one's thought as not being of any consequence.
With good hope let he sorrow slide.
With a calm carelessness letting everything slide.
Slip
(medicine) A one-time return to previous maladaptive behaviour after cure.
Slide
To cause to slide; to thrust along; as, to slide one piece of timber along another.
Slip
(cricket) Any of several fielding positions to the off side of the wicket keeper, designed to catch the ball after being deflected from the bat; a fielder in that position (See first slip, second slip, third slip, fourth slip and fifth slip.)
Slide
To pass or put imperceptibly; to slip; as, to slide in a word to vary the sense of a question.
Slip
A number between 0 and 1 that is the difference between the angular speed of a rotating magnetic field and the angular speed of its rotor, divided by the angular speed of the magnetic field.
Slide
The act of sliding; as, a slide on the ice.
Slip
A leash or string by which a dog is held; so called from its being made in such a manner as to slip, or become loose, by relaxation of the hand.
Slide
Smooth, even passage or progress.
A better slide into their business.
Slip
An escape; a secret or unexpected desertion.
He gave the warden the slip and escaped from the prison.
Slide
That on which anything moves by sliding.
Slip
(aviation) sideslip
Slide
That which operates by sliding.
Slip
A portion of the columns of a newspaper etc. struck off by itself; a proof from a column of type when set up and in the galley.
Slide
A plate or slip of glass on which is a picture or delineation to be exhibited by means of a magic lantern, stereopticon, or the like; a plate on which is an object to be examined with a microscope.
Slip
(dated) A child's pinafore.
Slide
The descent of a mass of earth, rock, or snow down a hill or mountain side; as, a land slide, or a snow slide; also, the track of bare rock left by a land slide.
Slip
An outside covering or case.
A pillow slip
The slip or sheath of a sword
Slide
A small dislocation in beds of rock along a line of fissure.
Slip
(obsolete) A counterfeit piece of money, made from brass covered with silver.
Slide
A grace consisting of two or more small notes moving by conjoint degrees, and leading to a principal note either above or below.
Slip
Matter found in troughs of grindstones after the grinding of edge tools.
Slide
A sound which, by a gradual change in the position of the vocal organs, passes imperceptibly into another sound.
Slip
A particular quantity of yarn.
Slide
Same as Guide bar, under Guide.
Slip
A narrow passage between buildings.
Slide
A small flat rectangular piece of glass on which specimens can be mounted for microscopic study
Slip
(US) A long seat or narrow pew in churches, often without a door.
Slide
(geology) the descent of a large mass of earth or rocks or snow etc.
Slip
(mining) A dislocation of a lead, destroying continuity.
Slide
(music) rapid sliding up or down the musical scale;
The violinist was indulgent with his swoops and slides
Slip
(engineering) The motion of the centre of resistance of the float of a paddle wheel, or the blade of an oar, through the water horizontally, or the difference between a vessel's actual speed and the speed it would have if the propelling instrument acted upon a solid; also, the velocity, relatively to still water, of the backward current of water produced by the propeller.
Slide
Plaything consisting of a sloping chute down which children can slide
Slip
(electrical) The difference between the actual and synchronous speeds of an induction motor.
Slide
The act of moving smoothly along a surface while remaining in contact with it;
His slide didn't stop until the bottom of the hill
The children lined up for a coast down the snowy slope
Slip
(telecommunications) The positional displacement in a sequence of transmitted symbols that causes the loss or insertion of one or more symbols.
Slide
A transparency mounted in a frame; viewed with a slide projector
Slip
A fish, the sole.
Slide
Sloping channel through which things can descend
Slip
A twig or shoot; a cutting.
A slip from a vine
Slide
Move obliquely or sideways, usually in an uncontrolled manner;
The wheels skidded against the sidewalk
Slip
(obsolete) A descendant, a scion.
Slide
To pass or move unobtrusively or smoothly;
They slid through the wicket in the big gate
Slip
A young person (now usually with of introducing descriptive qualifier).
She couldn't hurt a fly, young slip of a girl that she is.
Slide
Move smoothly along a surface;
He slid the money over to the other gambler
Slip
A long, thin piece of something.
Slide
A smooth, guided movement.
The dancer made a graceful slide across the stage.
Slip
A small piece of paper, especially one longer than it is wide, typically a form for writing on or one giving printed information.
A salary slip
Slide
A sloping surface for play.
Kids love the tall slide at the park.
Slip
(marine insurance) A memorandum of the particulars of a risk for which a policy is to be executed. It usually bears the broker's name and is initiated by the underwriters.
Slide
A decrease or decline in standards or levels.
There's been a slide in our product quality.
Slip
(ceramics) A thin, slippery mix of clay and water.
Slip
(obsolete) Mud, slime.
Slip
To move along the surface of a thing without bounding, rolling, or stepping; to slide; to glide.
Slip
To slide; to lose one's footing or one's hold; not to tread firmly; as, it is necessary to walk carefully lest the foot should slip.
Slip
To move or fly (out of place); to shoot; - often with out, off, etc.; as, a bone may slip out of its place.
Slip
To depart, withdraw, enter, appear, intrude, or escape as if by sliding; to go or come in a quiet, furtive manner; as, some errors slipped into the work.
Thus one tradesman slips away,To give his partner fairer play.
Thrice the flitting shadow slipped away.
Slip
To err; to fall into error or fault.
There is one that slippeth in his speech, but not from his heart.
Cry, "Havoc," and let slip the dogs of war.
Slip
To cause to move smoothly and quickly; to slide; to convey gently or secretly.
He tried to slip a powder into her drink.
Slip
To omit; to loose by negligence.
And slip no advantageThat my secure you.
Slip
To cut slips from; to cut; to take off; to make a slip or slips of; as, to slip a piece of cloth or paper.
The branches also may be slipped and planted.
Slip
To let loose in pursuit of game, as a greyhound.
Lucento slipped me like his greyhound.
Slip
To cause to slip or slide off, or out of place; as, a horse slips his bridle; a dog slips his collar.
Slip
To bring forth (young) prematurely; to slink.
Slip
The act of slipping; as, a slip on the ice.
Slip
An unintentional error or fault; a false step.
This good man's slip mended his pace to martyrdom.
Slip
A twig separated from the main stock; a cutting; a scion; hence, a descendant; as, a slip from a vine.
A native slip to us from foreign seeds.
The girlish slip of a Sicilian bride.
Slip
A slender piece; a strip; as, a slip of paper.
Moonlit slips of silver cloud.
A thin slip of a girl, like a new moonSure to be rounded into beauty soon.
Slip
A leash or string by which a dog is held; - so called from its being made in such a manner as to slip, or become loose, by relaxation of the hand.
We stalked over the extensive plains with Killbuck and Lena in the slips, in search of deer.
Slip
An escape; a secret or unexpected desertion; as, to give one the slip.
Slip
A portion of the columns of a newspaper or other work struck off by itself; a proof from a column of type when set up and in the galley.
Slip
Any covering easily slipped on.
Slip
A counterfeit piece of money, being brass covered with silver.
Slip
Matter found in troughs of grindstones after the grinding of edge tools.
Slip
Potter's clay in a very liquid state, used for the decoration of ceramic ware, and also as a cement for handles and other applied parts.
Slip
A particular quantity of yarn.
Slip
An inclined plane on which a vessel is built, or upon which it is hauled for repair.
Slip
An opening or space for vessels to lie in, between wharves or in a dock; as, Peck slip.
Slip
A narrow passage between buildings.
Slip
A long seat or narrow pew in churches, often without a door.
Slip
A dislocation of a lead, destroying continuity.
Slip
The motion of the center of resistance of the float of a paddle wheel, or the blade of an oar, through the water horozontally, or the difference between a vessel's actual speed and the speed which she would have if the propelling instrument acted upon a solid; also, the velocity, relatively to still water, of the backward current of water produced by the propeller.
Slip
A fish, the sole.
Slip
A fielder stationed on the off side and to the rear of the batsman. There are usually two of them, called respectively short slip, and long slip.
Slip
The retrograde movement on a pulley of a belt as it slips.
Slip
The difference between the actual and synchronous speed of an induction motor.
Slip
A memorandum of the particulars of a risk for which a policy is to be executed. It usually bears the broker's name and is initiated by the underwrites.
Slip
A socially awkward or tactless act
Slip
A minor inadvertent mistake usually observed in speech or writing or in small accidents or memory lapses etc.
Slip
Potter's clay that is thinned and used for coating or decorating ceramics
Slip
A part (sometimes a root or leaf or bud) removed from a plant to propagate a new plant through rooting or grafting
Slip
A young and slender person;
He's a mere slip of a lad
Slip
A place where a craft can be made fast
Slip
An accidental misstep threatening (or causing) a fall;
He blamed his slip on the ice
The jolt caused many slips and a few spills
Slip
A slippery smoothness;
He could feel the slickness of the tiller
Slip
Artifact consisting of a narrow flat piece of material
Slip
A small sheet of paper;
A receipt slip
Slip
A woman's sleeveless undergarment
Slip
Bed linen consisting of a cover for a pillow;
The burglar carried his loot in a pillowcase
Slip
An unexpected slide
Slip
A flight maneuver; aircraft slides sideways in the air
Slip
The act of avoiding capture (especially by cunning)
Slip
Move stealthily;
The ship slipped away in the darkness
Slip
Insert inconspicuously or quickly or quietly;
He slipped some money into the waiter's hand
Slip
Move obliquely or sideways, usually in an uncontrolled manner;
The wheels skidded against the sidewalk
Slip
Get worse;
My grades are slipping
Slip
Move smoothly and easily
Slip
To make a mistake or be incorrect
Slip
Pass on stealthily;
He slipped me the key when nobody was looking
Slip
Pass out of one's memory
Slip
Move out of position;
Dislocate joints
The artificial hip joint luxated and had to be put back surgically
Slip
To lose one's footing or grip accidentally.
I didn't notice the wet floor and took a slip.
Slip
A minor mistake or oversight.
It was just a slip of the tongue; I didn't mean it.
Slip
A small piece of paper or document.
She wrote her number on a slip of paper.
Slip
A woman's undergarment.
She wore a satin slip under her dress.
Common Curiosities
Can "slide" imply a negative movement?
Yes, it can, like in the context of "a slide in quality."
How do "slip and slide" relate when used together?
"Slip 'n Slide" is a toy where users slip on a wet plastic slide, combining both meanings.
What's a "slip stitch" in knitting?
It's a technique where a stitch is moved from one needle to another without knitting it.
Are there musical implications for "slide"?
Yes, it can refer to a gliding note transition or a tool to produce such a sound on guitars.
Which word implies a more controlled movement?
"Slide" generally indicates a more controlled motion.
Does "slip" always mean an accident?
No, it can also refer to a small piece of paper or a decline in standard.
Can both words describe vehicle movements?
Yes, a car can slide or slip on icy roads, though the nuances might differ.
Can "slide" mean a type of footwear?
Yes, "slides" can refer to a type of backless shoes.
Can "slip" refer to ceramics?
Yes, "slip" can mean a liquid clay mixture used in pottery.
Can "slide" describe a technology feature?
Yes, like in "slide-to-unlock" on some electronic devices.
Which word would describe a controlled baseball technique?
"Slide" as in when players slide into a base.
Can a tongue "slide"?
Not typically. But one might make a "slip of the tongue" referring to a verbal mistake.
Does "slip" have maritime meanings?
Yes, a "slip" can refer to a boat's docking place or a launching track for shipbuilding.
Which word implies more suddenness?
"Slip" often carries a sense of abruptness or suddenness.
Can both words be used in dance terminology?
Yes, both "slide" and "slip" describe specific dance movements, though "slide" is more common.
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Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
