I. ˈslīm noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English slim, slime, from Old English slīm; akin to Middle High German & Old Norse slīm slime, Old High German slīmen to make smooth, Latin lima instrument for smoothing, file — more at lime
1. : soft moist earth or clay : viscous mud
2. : a viscous and usually dirty or offensive substance : something felt to resemble viscous mud: as
a. : the original substance (as earth or clay) of the human body ; also : a human being
b. archaic : bitumen
c. : a mucous or mucoid secretion of the skin of various animals (as slugs, land snails, hagfishes, catfishes)
d. : a product of wet crushing, consisting of ore ground so fine as to pass a 200-mesh screen — often used in plural
e. : very wet inferior mortar
f. : a mass or coating of bacteria or algae growing in paper stock
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
transitive verb
1. : to smear or cover with slime : make slimy
2. : to remove slime from (as fish for canning)
3. : to crush or grind (ore) to a slime
intransitive verb
: to become slimy