/ slaɪs; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
1.
a thin flat piece of food that has been cut off a larger piece :
a slice of bread
Cut the meat into thin slices.
2.
( informal ) a part or share of sth :
Our firm is well placed to grab a large slice of the market.
3.
a kitchen utensil (= tool) that you use to lift and serve pieces of food :
a fish slice
4.
( sport ) ( in golf , tennis , etc. ) a stroke that makes the ball spin to one side rather than going straight ahead
•
IDIOMS
- a slice of life
—more at action , cake noun , pie
■ verb
1.
[ vn ] slice sth (up) to cut sth into slices :
to slice (up) onions
Slice the cucumber thinly.
a sliced loaf
—see also salami slicing
2.
[usually + adv. / prep. ] to cut sth easily with or as if with a sharp blade :
[ v ]
He accidentally sliced through his finger.
A piece of glass sliced into his shoulder.
( figurative )
Her speech sliced through all the confusion surrounding the situation.
[ vn ]
The knife sliced his jacket.
( figurative )
The ship sliced the water.
[also vn - adj ]
3.
[ vn ] ( sport ) to hit a ball so that it spins and does not move in the expected direction :
He managed to slice a shot over the net.
4.
[ vn ] ( in golf ) to hit the ball so that it flies away in a curve, when you do not mean to
5.
[ vn ] ( NAmE , informal ) to reduce sth by a large amount :
The new tax has sliced annual bonuses by 30 percent.
•
IDIOMS
see way noun
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- slice sth off / away | slice sth off sth
••
WORD ORIGIN
Middle English (in the sense fragment, splinter ): shortening of Old French esclice splinter, from the verb esclicier , of Germanic origin; related to German schleissen to slice, also to slit .