I. ˈslō adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English slāw; akin to Old High German slēo dull
Date: before 12th century
1.
a. : mentally dull : stupid
a slow student
b. : naturally inert or sluggish
2.
a. : lacking in readiness, promptness, or willingness
b. : not hasty or precipitate
was slow to anger
3.
a. : moving, flowing, or proceeding without speed or at less than usual speed
traffic was slow
b. : exhibiting or marked by low speed
he moved with slow deliberation
c. : not acute
a slow disease
d. : low , gentle
slow fire
4. : requiring a long time : gradual
a slow recovery
5. : having qualities that hinder rapid progress or action
a slow track
6.
a. : registering behind or below what is correct
the clock is slow
b. : less than the time indicated by another method of reckoning
c. : that is behind the time at a specified time or place
7.
a. : lacking in life, animation, or gaiety : boring
the first chapter is a bit slow
b. : marked by reduced activity
business was slow
a slow news week
• slow·ish ˈslō-ish adjective
• slow·ness noun
II. adverb
Date: 15th century
: slowly
Usage:
Some commentators claim that careful writers avoid the adverb slow, in spite of the fact that it has had over four centuries of usage
have a continent forbearance till the speed of his rage goes slower — Shakespeare
In actual practice, slow and slowly are not used in quite the same way. Slow is almost always used with verbs that denote movement or action, and it regularly follows the verb it modifies
beans…are best cooked long and slow — Louise Prothro
Slowly is used before the verb
a sense of outrage, which slowly changed to shame — Paul Horgan
and with participial adjectives
a slowly dawning awareness…of the problem — American Labor
Slowly is used after verbs where slow might also be used
burn slow or slowly
and after verbs where slow would be unidiomatic
the leadership turned slowly toward bombing as a means of striking back — David Halberstam
III. verb
Date: 1557
transitive verb
: to make slow or slower : slacken the speed of
slow a car
— often used with down or up
intransitive verb
: to go or become slower
production of new cars slow ed sharply
Synonyms: see delay