I. slope 1 W3 /sləʊp $ sloʊp/ BrE AmE noun
1 . [countable] a piece of ground or a surface that slopes:
a steep slope
a gentle (=not steep) slope
She looked back up the grassy slope.
2 . an area of steep ground covered with snow that people ↑ ski down:
We got to Tahoe on Friday, and hit the slopes (=skied on them) the next day.
3 . [singular] the angle at which something slopes in relation to a flat surface:
a slope of 30 degrees
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ adjectives
▪ a steep slope
I struggled to keep from slipping on the steep slope.
▪ a gentle slope (=not steep)
We went down a long gentle slope.
▪ a long slope
The street led up a long slope.
▪ a grassy slope
The children had fun rolling down a grassy slope.
▪ a wooded slope
The valley has wooded slopes.
▪ a rocky slope
The farmhouse is situated on a rocky slope.
▪ a downward/downhill slope
She strode down the long downhill slope which led towards her home.
▪ an uphill slope
It is harder to land on an uphill slope.
▪ the lower/upper slopes of something
It was misty and only the lower slopes of Vesuvius could be seen.
▪ the eastern/northern etc slopes of something
Vines are grown on the eastern slopes of Mont Bernon.
II. slope 2 BrE AmE verb [intransitive]
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Origin: Probably from aslope 'in a sloping position' (14-21 centuries) , probably from Old English aslopen , past participle of aslupan 'to slip away' ]
if the ground or a surface slopes, it is higher at one end than the other
slope up/down/away etc
a pleasant garden that slopes down to the river
slope off phrasal verb British English informal
to leave somewhere quietly and secretly, especially when you are avoiding work:
Mike sloped off early today.