slurs
/slɜːr/ (bre, ipa) · [slˈɚz] /slɝː/ (ame, ipa) · [slˈɚz] /ˈslər How to pronounce slur (audio)/ (ame, mw)
slurs — verb
- slurspresent simple I / you / we / they
- slurses3rd person singular
- slursing-ing form
- slursedpast simple
1. if someone slurs words or slurs while speaking, the sounds run together and come
if someone slurs words or slurs while speaking, the sounds run together and come out unclear, often because the person is very tired, drunk, or unwell.
After the night shift, Nadia slurs her words during the safety briefing.
slur + words: speech becomes unclear from tiredness
The witness slurs badly after the sedative, so the clerk asks him to repeat everything.
intransitive use after a physical cause
Jin slurs each street name when the taxi ride home makes him drowsy.
During the late phone call, Romi slurs and pauses before every address.
The pain medicine wears off slowly, and Eitan slurs his answer to the nurse.
- enunciate
pronounce each sound clearly and carefully
文法句型
slur + words
slur + speech
用法筆記
Often appears with a cause such as tiredness, drink, or medicine. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense is unwanted unclear speech, while sense 2 is an intentional musical effect.
常見錯誤
2. if a singer or player slurs notes, they join them so that one sound moves smooth
if a singer or player slurs notes, they join them so that one sound moves smoothly into the next without a break.
In rehearsal, Élise slurs the opening notes so the phrase sounds warm.
slur + notes: connect them without a break
Christopher slurs the rising phrase on trumpet, and the tune sounds gentler.
During choir practice, Noor slurs the chorus instead of striking each note apart.
The teacher smiles when Joaquín slurs the last four notes into one line.
- play legato
neutral musical instruction for smooth connected playing
- play staccato
play each note separately with clear gaps
文法句型
slur + notes
slur + phrase
用法筆記
The object is a run of notes, a phrase, or a bar. Distinguish from sense 1: here the smooth joining is deliberate and skilled, not careless speech.
3. if a person or report slurs someone, it says unfair things that damage how other
if a person or report slurs someone, it says unfair things that damage how other people see that person.
The host slurs the referee on air with claims nobody can prove.
slur + someone: damage a person's name
A tabloid slurs Anjali for weeks, then quietly prints a tiny correction.
That post slurs the new principal by calling her corrupt without evidence.
Mauricio says the rumour slurs his sister and frightens the whole family.
The campaign leaflet slurs two nurses as thieves before the union can answer.
- praise
say things that improve how others see someone
文法句型
slur + someone
slur + someone's name
用法筆記
The object is the person whose good name is attacked, not the false statement itself. Distinguish from a simple insult: slurring aims to stain reputation in a lasting way.
常見錯誤
4. if lines, colours, memories, or edges slur, or if something slurs them, their li
if lines, colours, memories, or edges slur, or if something slurs them, their limits lose sharpness and run together.
Rain slurs the chalk letters on the gate before the children arrive.
transitive: weather makes outlines unclear
In the old photo, the faces slur into pale shadows near the edge.
intransitive: shapes blur together
Heat from the road slurs the far hills until they look like smoke.
By midnight, the wet ink slurs across Sven's notebook and hides the numbers.
- sharpen
make edges or details clear again
文法句型
slur + outline
colours slur together
用法筆記
Usually describes visual or figurative blurring, not speech sounds. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense is about boundaries or marks losing shape, not words being pronounced unclearly.
slurs — noun
1. slurs are insulting remarks that are meant to damage how other people see a pers
slurs are insulting remarks that are meant to damage how other people see a person or group.
The article was full of slurs against the judge and her family.
slurs against + someone
During the trial, the lawyer asked reporters to stop printing slurs about the witness.
Old campaign slurs still follow Noor's father in the town market.
The meeting collapsed when slurs on the new coach replaced real criticism.
- smears
more organised false attacks meant to ruin someone
- aspersions
formal word for remarks that cast doubt on character
- compliments
kind remarks that improve how someone is seen
文法句型
slurs against + someone
slurs on + someone
用法筆記
These are reputation-harming remarks directed at a person or group. Distinguish from sense 2: sense 2 is about fixed offensive labels, while this sense can be any damaging accusation or insult.
2. slurs are offensive words used to attack people over race, religion, sexuality,
slurs are offensive words used to attack people over race, religion, sexuality, or another group identity.
Students heard racist slurs from the stands during the school match.
racist slurs: group-targeting insults
The moderator deletes slurs about migrants before the chat can spread them.
Queer teenagers should never have to read slurs in class forums.
The museum explains why older labels on the poster are now seen as slurs.
- epithets
formal term for insulting labels used against people
文法句型
racial slurs
ethnic slurs
用法筆記
Usually modified by the group being targeted, as in racial slurs or homophobic slurs. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense is about fixed abusive words, not general reputation attacks.
3. slurs are unclear stretches in a person's speech where sounds run together and b
slurs are unclear stretches in a person's speech where sounds run together and become hard to separate.
The doctor noted several slurs in Joaquín's speech after the fall.
slurs in speech: running-together sounds
Audio software can highlight the slurs that make the call hard to transcribe.
By dawn, tired slurs were creeping into the dispatcher's radio messages.
The therapist asked Mara to repeat the sentence slowly because of the slurs.
- mumbles
more often suggests low volume as well as unclear sound
文法句型
slurs in + speech
hear slurs in a voice
用法筆記
Often refers to repeated unclear pieces inside speech rather than the whole voice. Distinguish from sense 1 and sense 2: these slurs are sound defects, not hostile remarks or labels.
4. slurs are curved marks over or under notes that show the notes should be sung or
slurs are curved marks over or under notes that show the notes should be sung or played in one smooth connected line.
The beginner misses the slurs and plays every note separately.
slurs mark smooth connected playing
Several slurs curve across the top line of the flute exercise.
The conductor circles the slurs before choir rehearsal starts.
Several slurs under the melody tell the singer to keep the phrase flowing.
- ties
similar curved marks, but they join notes of the same pitch
文法句型
slurs over the notes
slurs under the melody
用法筆記
These are printed symbols in the score, not sounds you hear. Distinguish from sense 3: sense 3 is about unclear speech, while this sense is a written musical marking.
5. slurs are blurred dirty marks or stains that spoil a clean surface or a printed
slurs are blurred dirty marks or stains that spoil a clean surface or a printed page.
Dark slurs of grease covered the receipt in Mauricio's toolbox.
dirty blurred marks on a surface
The printer left grey slurs across the bottom of every timetable.
Anjali wiped the mirror, but faint slurs stayed near the corner.
Mud slurs on the kitchen floor showed where the dog had run.
文法句型
slurs of grease
slurs across a page
用法筆記
Usually refers to visible dirty marks on paper, glass, or another surface. Distinguish from sense 4: these slurs are stains, not music symbols.