slope

noun

1. (countable, uncountable)An area of ground that tends evenly upward or downward.

   “I had to climb a small slope to get to the site.”

   “a steep slope”

2. (countable, uncountable)The degree to which a surface tends upward or downward.

   “The road has a very sharp downward slope at that point.”

3. (countable, uncountable)The ratio of the vertical and horizontal distances between two points lying on the line.

   “The slope of this line is 0.5”

4. (countable, proscribed, sometimes, uncountable)The slope of the line tangent to the curve at the given point.

   “The slope of a parabola increases linearly with x.”

5. (countable, uncountable)The angle a roof surface makes with the horizontal, expressed as a ratio of the units of vertical rise to the units of horizontal length (sometimes referred to as run).

   “The slope of an asphalt shingle roof system should be 4:12 or greater.”

6. (countable, ethnic, offensive, slur, uncountable, vulgar)A person of Chinese or other East Asian descent.
7. (UK, countable, dated, slang, uncountable)A hasty departure.

   “"I did a slope," acknowledged the clerk frankly. "I broke all the records down that passage, I bet you. You'll laugh, I dare say, and think you would have stood, but you don't know what it was like. […]"”

verb

1. (intransitive)To tend steadily upward or downward.

   “The road slopes sharply down at that point.”

   “If the afternoon was fine they strolled together in the park, very slowly, and with pauses to draw breath wherever the ground sloped upward. The slightest effort made the patient cough.”

   “St. Lawrence Station is very prettily situated, high cliffs on the left, and the lush vegetation of the Undercliff sloping down to the sea on the right.”

2. (transitive)To form with a slope; to give an oblique or slanting direction to; to incline or slant.

   “to slope the ground in a garden; to slope a piece of cloth in cutting a garment”

3. (UK, colloquial, usually)To try to move surreptitiously.

   “I sloped in through the back door, hoping my boss wouldn't see me.”

   “She watched him disappear out of sight, before sloping back to her room.”

4. To hold a rifle at a slope with forearm perpendicular to the body in front holding the butt, the rifle resting on the shoulder.

   “The order was given to "slope arms".”

adj

1. (obsolete)Sloping.

   “A bank not steep, but gently slope.”

   “Down the slope hills.”

adv

1. (obsolete)slopingly

   “So promis'd he; and Uriel to his charge Return'd on that bright beam , whose point now rais'd , Bore him slope downward to the sun”