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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Quotation dates: 1884-1955

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SLOPE, v.2 Also slop. [slop]

1. tr. To avoid paying, to defraud, to take a moonlight departure from (Fif. 1970).Lnk. 1884 T. McLachlan Thoughts 85:
Nae mair she'd need tae 'slop the laird'.
Sc. 1904 E.D.D.:
To slope the tailor.

2. intr. To shirk one's work, to dodge duty, to idle (ne.Sc., Lnk., Gall. 1970). Hence sloper, a dodger of work, a shirker (Uls. 1953 Traynor; Abd., Lth. 1970).Abd. 1917 E. S. Rae Pte. J. M'Pherson 1, 13:
He wis kent tae be a sloper Fin it cam tae swipin' greeps . . . An' loons, ye'll min' yer nae tae slope — pit in a dacent day.
Abd. 1955 W. P. Milne Eppie Elrick iii.:
Ye're tryin tae slope as seen's ma back's turnt.

[Appar. extended usages of U.S. slope, to run away, decamp, evade. Also in n.Eng. dial.]

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"Slope v.2". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 18 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/slope_v2>

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