Definition for slow - Oxford Dictionaries Online (World English)

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	slow (slow) Pronunciation: /sləʊ/ adjective 1moving or operating, or designed to do so, only at a low speed; not quick or fast: until recently diesel cars were slow and noisy a slow dot-matrix printer taking a long time to perform a specified action: she was rather a slow reader [with infinitive]: large organizations can be slow to change lasting or taking a long time: a slow process the journey home was slow not allowing or intended for fast travel: the slow lane (of a sports field or ground) likely to make the ball bounce or run slowly or to prevent competitors from travelling fast: on a slow surface both sets of bowlers bowled straight 2 [predic. or as complement] (of a clock or watch) showing a time earlier than the correct time: the clock was five minutes slow 3not prompt to understand, think, or learn: he’s so slow, so unimaginative 4uneventful and rather dull: a slow and mostly aimless narrative (of business) with little activity; slack: sales were slow 5 Photography (of a film) needing long exposure. (of a lens) having a small aperture. 6(of a fire or oven) burning or giving off heat gently: bake the dish in a preheated slow oven adverb at a slow pace; slowly: the train went slower and slower [in combination]: a slow-moving river verb [no object] reduce one’s speed or the speed of a vehicle or process: the train slowed to a halt investment has slowed down [with object]: he slowed the car (slow down/up) live or work less actively or intensely: I wasn’t feeling well and had to slow down Phrases slow but (or and) sure not quick but achieving the required result eventually: I am making good progress—slow but sure Derivatives slowish adjective slowness noun Origin: Old English slāw 'slow-witted, sluggish', of Germanic origin The word slow is normally used as an adjective ( a slow* learner; the journey was slow). It is also used as an adverb in certain specific contexts, including compounds such as slow-acting* and slow-moving and in the expression go slow. Other adverbial use is informal and usually regarded as non-standard, as for example in he drives too slow and go as slow* as you can. In such contexts standard English uses slowly* instead. The use of slow and slowly in this respect contrasts with the use of fast, which is completely standard in use as both an adjective and an adverb; there is no word ‘fastly’.		Search results in the dictionary go-slow slow drag slow food slow-scan slow-worm slow cooker More results » Nearby Words slough ² Slough of Despond Slovak Slovakia sloven Slovene Slovenia Slovenian slovenly slow slow cooker slow drag slow food slow handclap slow march slow match slow motion slow neutron slow puncture