Dictionary

slive en · NOUN · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• /slaɪv/

Etymology

From Middle English sliven, from Old English slīfan (“to cleave, split”), from Proto-West Germanic *slīban, from Proto-Germanic *slībaną (“to split”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kelH- (“to cut”).

Meanings

1. (dialectal) A slice or sliver; slip, chip.

Forms

Relateds

sliver

slive en · VERB · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• /slaɪv/

Etymology

From Middle English sliven, from Old English slīfan (“to cleave, split”), from Proto-West Germanic *slīban, from Proto-Germanic *slībaną (“to split”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kelH- (“to cut”).

Meanings

1. (dialectal, obsolete, transitive) To cut; split; separate.
2. (Scotland, dialectal, obsolete, transitive) To cut or slice something off; separate by slicing.

Forms

Deriveds

toslive

slive en · VERB · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• /slaɪv/

Etymology

From Middle English sliven, from Old English slīfan, slēfan (“to slip or put a garment on”). Perhaps related to slip.

Meanings

1. (Northern-England, Scotland, dialectal) To sneak; skulk; proceed in a sly way; creep.

Forms

Relateds

sliverly

slive en · VERB · etymology 3

Pronunciation

• /slɪv/

Etymology

Back-formation from sliving, equivalent to blend of slay + live.

Meanings

1. (slang) To live life to the fullest while being successful, glamorous, and confident.

Forms