sleaze en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /sliːz/
- (Southern-England) audio
Etymology
Etymology tree Ancient Greek Σιλίγγαι (Silíngai)bor. Latin Silingaeder.? Old Polish Ślężader. Old Polish Ślęzader.? Old Polish śląg /ślęgder.? Late Latin Silesialbor. English Silesia English silesia? English sleazybf. English sleaze Back-formation from sleazy, originally used to describe the thinness and low quality of cloth.
Meanings
-
(uncountable) Low moral standards.
The level of sleaze in this city seems to have been rising rapidly in recent years.
1988 January 11, The New Yorker:
-
(Ireland, UK, uncountable) Political corruption.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage is facing an investigation by the Commons sleaze watchdog over a £5m (€5.7m) gift from a party donor.
2026 May 13, David Hughes, “Nigel Farage faces probe by sleaze watchdog over £5m gift”, in Irish Examiner:While no-one accused Major of corruption, it rebounded to his disadvantage because he was unable to stamp it out, and contradictory reports appeared in the Press as to whether senior Conservatives really supported those accused of sleaze, or whether they were furious and wanted them to stand down immediately.
2012, Helen Jones, Susanne MacGregor, Social Issues and Party Politics, page 3:ministerial sleaze and mendacity
2004 August 19, London Review of Books:
-
(countable, informal) A person of low moral standards.
She knew that sleaze Hakido would do something to stick the knife in and twist it to the hilt.
1999, E. Brewer, Picking Up the Marbles, AuthorHouse, →ISBN, page 162:
-
(countable, informal) A man who is sexually aggressive or forward with women to the point of causing disgust.
Mother, he's such a sleaze! The way he looked at you!
1996, S. Hoskinson Frommer, Buried in Quilts, Harlequin, →ISBN, page 64:1989, Weekly World News, "My hubby robbed the cradle and left me with the baby", 7 November, p. 42. I'll bet you dollars to doughnuts that sleaze slept with your boss and I wouldn't take it lying down.
-
(informal, uncountable) Sleazy material or publications.
a tabloid newspaper full of sleaze
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| sleazes | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
sleazeball · sleazebag · sleazemonger · sleaze-merchant · sleaze factor · mainsleaze · sleazehole · sleazecore · sleazy · sleaze-ridden · sleazebucket · sleazo · sleazewad · sleazoid
Translations (38)
fr rustre (a person with low moral standards) · bg аморалност (low moral standards) · cs špína (a person with low moral standards) · pl zepsucie (low moral standards) · gl canalla (a person with low moral standards) · nl laag allooi (low moral standards) · pl gnida (a person with low moral standards) · he זִמָּה (low moral standards) · ru амора́льность (low moral standards) · ga broghaisireacht (low moral standards) · pl kanalia (a person with low moral standards) · ru дешёвка (a person with low moral standards) · ca vil (low moral standards) · ru ничто́жество (a person with low moral standards) · bg подлец (a person with low moral standards) · de Verderbtheit (low moral standards) · pt canalha (a person with low moral standards) · bg негодник (a person with low moral standards) · cs hnus (low moral standards) · it scostumato (a person with low moral standards) · gl corrupta (a person with low moral standards) · el αίσχη (low moral standards) · cs špína (low moral standards) · fr débauche (low moral standards) · pl zgnilizna (low moral standards) · pt corrupto (a person with low moral standards) · bg безнравственост (low moral standards) · pt falta de princípios (low moral standards) · bg нищожество (a person with low moral standards) · bg порочност (low moral standards) · gl vileza (low moral standards) · fr pervers (a person with low moral standards) · pl niemoralność (low moral standards) · bg безпътност (low moral standards) · pt corrupção (low moral standards) · it malcostume (low moral standards) · ca aprofitat (a person with low moral standards) · gl corrupto (a person with low moral standards)