Slope

/sloʊp/ · noun

Meaning

An area of ground that tends evenly upward or downward..

Definitions by Sense

1. An area of ground that tends evenly upward or downward.
2. The degree to which a surface tends upward or downward.
3. (mathematics, of a line, with respect to a fixed coordinate system) The ratio of the vertical and horizontal distances between two points lying on the line.
4. (mathematics, of a curve at a given point; sometimes proscribed, see Usage notes) The slope of the line tangent to the curve at the given point.
5. 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).
6. (vulgar, offensive, ethnic slur) A person of Chinese or other East Asian descent.
7. (UK, slang, dated) A hasty departure.
8. (intransitive) To tend steadily upward or downward.

Example Sentences

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

a steep slope

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

The slope of this line is 0.5

The slope of a parabola increases linearly with x.

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

"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. […]"

The road slopes sharply down at that point.

Synonyms for slope

Antonyms for slope

Related Words

Word Forms

• slopes
• sloping
• sloped
• more slope
• most slope

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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