slattern away

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

To consume carelessly or wastefully; to waste.

Register: dated

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

October 30, 1755 Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield, The World I have known many a passion and many a friendship degraded, weakened, and at last, if I may use the expression, wholly slatterned away, by an unguarded and illiberal familiarity.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “slattern away” mean?

To consume carelessly or wastefully; to waste.

Is “slattern away” formal or informal?

slattern away is generally dated.