slip
Preserved but no longer current.
"to give the SLIP," to run away, or elude pursuit. Shakspeare has, "You gave me the counterfeit," in Romeo and Juliet. Giving the SLIP, however, is a sea phrase, and refers to fastening an anchor and chain cable to a floating buoy, or water-cask, until a time arrives when it is convenient to return and take them on board. In fastening the cable, the home end is SLIPPED through the hawse-pipe. Weighing anchor is a noisy task, so that giving the SLIP infers leaving quietly.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “slip” mean?
"to give the SLIP," to run away, or elude pursuit. Shakspeare has, "You gave me the counterfeit," in Romeo and Juliet. Giving the SLIP, however, is a sea phrase, and refers to fastening an anchor and chain cable to a floating buoy, or water-cask, until a time arrives when it is convenient to return and take them on board. In fastening the cable, the home end is SLIPPED through the hawse-pipe. Weighing anchor is a noisy task, so that giving the SLIP infers leaving quietly.
Is “slip” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.