/ slʌm; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
an area of a city that is very poor and where the houses are dirty and in bad condition :
a slum area
city / urban slums
She was brought up in the slums of Leeds.
■ verb
( -mm- ) [ v ] (usually be slumming ) ( informal ) to spend time in places or conditions that are much worse than those you are used to :
There are plenty of ways you can cut costs on your trip without slumming.
•
IDIOMS
- slum it
••
WORD ORIGIN
early 19th cent. (originally slang, in the sense room ): of unknown origin.