slope

noun

/sləʊp/

Idioms

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[countable] a surface or piece of land that slopes (= is higher at one end than the other) synonym incline
- on a slope The town is built on a slope.
- Down the slope and beyond the road lay the Pacific Ocean.
- He made his way up the slope from the station to the bus stop.
- a grassy slope
Extra Examples
- We clambered up the steep, rocky slope.
- a slope leading down to the river
- a west-facing slope overlooking the river
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- precipitous
- steep
- gentle
- …
verb + slope
- ascend
- clamber up
- climb
- …
slope + verb
- lead to something
- rise
- level off
- …
preposition
- down a/the slope
- of a/the slope
- on a/the slope
- …
phrases
- the bottom of a slope
- the foot of a slope
- the top of a slope
- …
See full entry
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[countable, usually plural] an area of land that is part of a mountain or hill
- slope of something the eastern slopes of the Andes
- ski slopes
- on a slope We camped on an open mountain slope.
- He spends all winter on the slopes (= skiing).
- There were more skiers further up the slope.
- There was now molten lava several hundred metres down the slope.
Wordfinder
- altitude
- foothill
- mountain
- peak
- precipice
- ridge
- slope
- summit
- valley
- volcano
Extra Examples
- Rocks and boulders rolled down the slopes of the crater.
- The lower slopes rise quite gently.
- There was snow on the higher slopes of the mountain.
- The vineyards on the south-facing slopes get more sunshine.
Topics Sports: other sportsb2, Geographyb2
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- precipitous
- steep
- gentle
- …
verb + slope
- ascend
- clamber up
- climb
- …
slope + verb
- lead to something
- rise
- level off
- …
preposition
- down a/the slope
- of a/the slope
- on a/the slope
- …
phrases
- the bottom of a slope
- the foot of a slope
- the top of a slope
- …
See full entry
[singular, uncountable] the amount by which something slopes
- a steep slope
- a gentle slope
- slope of something a slope of 45 degrees
- Because of the slope of the roof, the snow cannot accumulate.
- the angle of slope
Extra Examples
- The football pitch has a slope of about one metre.
- The unemployment-income curve on the graph has a negative slope.
- Most of the city’s land has a slope of 30 degrees or more.
- The land rises in a gentle slope from the sea to the foot of the mountains.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- precipitous
- steep
- gentle
- …
verb + slope
- ascend
- clamber up
- climb
- …
slope + verb
- lead to something
- rise
- level off
- …
preposition
- down a/the slope
- of a/the slope
- on a/the slope
- …
phrases
- the bottom of a slope
- the foot of a slope
- the top of a slope
- …
See full entry

Word Originlate 16th cent. (as a verb): from the obsolete adverb slope, a shortening of aslope. The use of the verb in sense 3 may be related to lope.

Idioms

the/a slippery slope

a course of action that is difficult to stop once it has begun, and can lead to serious problems or disaster
- She realized he was on the slippery slope towards a life of crime.

slope

verb

/sləʊp/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they slope	/sləʊp/ /sləʊp/
he / she / it slopes	/sləʊps/ /sləʊps/
past simple sloped	/sləʊpt/ /sləʊpt/
past participle sloped	/sləʊpt/ /sləʊpt/
-ing form sloping	/ˈsləʊpɪŋ/ /ˈsləʊpɪŋ/

Phrasal Verbs

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[intransitive] (of a horizontal surface) to be at an angle so that it is higher at one end than the other
- a sloping roof
- sloping shoulders
- The bedroom floors all sloped.
- + adv./prep. The garden slopes away towards the river.
- The path sloped gently down.
- It is a lake with steeply sloping sides.
Extra Examples
- The ground slopes away steeply at the back of the house.
- The garage is rectangular with a sloping roof.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adverb
- steeply
- gently
- slightly
- …
preposition
- to
- towards/toward
See full entry
[intransitive] (of something vertical) to be at an angle rather than going straight up or straight across
- It was a very old house with sloping walls.
- + adv./prep. His handwriting slopes backwards.

Word Originlate 16th cent. (as a verb): from the obsolete adverb slope, a shortening of aslope. The use of the verb in sense 3 may be related to lope.