slurs
slurs — noun
- slurssingular
- slursesplural
1. A spoken or written statement that attacks someone's character or damages the go
A spoken or written statement that attacks someone's character or damages the good opinion other people have of them.
The mayor's speech contained several slurs against immigrant communities, angering local leaders.
collocation: slurs against [group]
During the debate neither candidate used personal slurs, so the discussion stayed focused on policy.
Hassan refused to repeat the slur he had heard, knowing it would only cause harm.
The newspaper column was full of unfair slurs against the nursing staff and their union.
Devika told her children to ignore any slurs their classmates might say about the family.
- praise
a positive statement about someone's character or actions
- compliment
a polite expression of praise or admiration
用法筆記
Often used in the phrase 'cast a slur on [someone/something]', meaning to harm their reputation by making negative remarks.
常見錯誤
2. A highly offensive word that attacks someone based on their race, religion, ethn
A highly offensive word that attacks someone based on their race, religion, ethnicity, gender identity, or sexual orientation.
Using racial slurs is against company policy and can lead to immediate dismissal.
collocation: racial slur / homophobic slur
The teacher explained why certain historical slurs should never be repeated in class.
Soraya heard a homophobic slur shouted from the window of a passing car.
Social media platforms now remove posts that contain hate slurs aimed at any group.
Andrei reported the comment to the human resources department because it contained a racist slur.
- epithet
more formal; often refers specifically to an offensive racial or ethnic term
- insult
broader; can refer to any rude or disrespectful remark, not necessarily targeting identity
- hate speech
a wider category; covers slurs but also other forms of hateful expression
用法筆記
The specific type of slur is usually indicated by an adjective before it (racial slur, homophobic slur, antisemitic slur). This sense is the most common one in everyday conversation.
常見錯誤
3. Speech that is hard to understand because the sounds blend into one another and
Speech that is hard to understand because the sounds blend into one another and the speaker does not articulate clearly.
After his stroke, the slur in Grandpa's speech made him hard for strangers to follow.
The doctor asked the patient to repeat a sentence while she listened for any slur.
pattern: listen for a slur in [someone's] words
Too much alcohol can cause a slur that makes your sentences difficult to follow.
The old recording had a noticeable slur that made some words impossible to hear.
- enunciation
clear and distinct pronunciation of words
用法筆記
Commonly used in medical contexts for stroke or neurological symptoms, and in discussions about alcohol or extreme fatigue.
4. A curved mark in sheet music that joins two or more notes of different pitch, te
A curved mark in sheet music that joins two or more notes of different pitch, telling the performer to connect them smoothly without a break.
The violin teacher drew a slur above three notes to show they should flow together.
Cole practiced the slur until the transition between the two phrases sounded perfectly smooth.
collocation: practice the slur
A slur connects the high notes at the end of the bar.
Yan heard where the singer missed a slur and broke the melody into separate notes.
- legato marking
same meaning in musical notation, but describes the instruction rather than the symbol itself
- phrase mark
a longer slur that indicates a musical phrase rather than just legato playing
- staccato mark
a dot above or below a note telling the performer to play it short and separated
用法筆記
Not to be confused with a 'tie', which connects two notes of the same pitch. A slur connects notes of different pitches and tells the player to perform them legato.
常見錯誤
5. A dirty mark or streak on the surface of something, often making it look messy o
A dirty mark or streak on the surface of something, often making it look messy or unclear.
A dark slur of ink stained the bottom of the letter where the bottle had spilled.
Eve wiped the slur of dirt from her white dress with a damp cloth.
collocation: slur of dirt
The old photograph had a grey slur in the corner where moisture had damaged it.
Ignacio noticed a slur of paint on the floor where the brush had dragged.
用法筆記
This sense is quite old-fashioned or literary in modern English. Speakers today are far more likely to use 'smudge' or 'streak'.
slurs — verb
- slurspresent simple I / you / we / they
- slurses3rd person singular
- slursing-ing form
- slursedpast simple
1. To speak words in an unclear way so that sounds run together, are left out, or a
To speak words in an unclear way so that sounds run together, are left out, or are difficult to understand.
The exhausted news anchor began to slur her words during the late-night broadcast.
collocation: slur [one's] words
When Mayumi has a cold she tends to slur sounds that need clear nasal pronunciation.
The old man slurred his speech so badly the nurse had to lean close to understand.
Darius tried hard not to slur his words during the presentation, speaking very slowly.
After the accident Lisa slurred certain syllables, especially those with 'r' and 'l' sounds.
- enunciate
to pronounce words clearly and distinctly
- articulate
to speak or pronounce clearly
文法句型
slur + noun phrase (words, speech, name)
用法筆記
Often used in medical and police reports to describe signs of intoxication, exhaustion, or neurological injury. A police officer might note that a driver 'slurred his speech' during a sobriety check.
常見錯誤
2. To perform a group of notes in a connected, flowing manner, leaving no silence o
To perform a group of notes in a connected, flowing manner, leaving no silence or break between one note and the next.
The pianist slurred the notes of the slow movement, creating a gentle, connected sound.
collocation: slur notes
You must slur the quavers in the second bar without lifting your fingers.
The choir director taught the singers to slur the vowels moving between pitches.
Ilan listened carefully as the cellist slurred the opening melody with beautiful control.
- play legato
the Italian term for playing in a smooth, connected style
- phrase smoothly
a more general description of connected musical performance
- staccato
playing notes in a short, detached, separated way
文法句型
slur + noun phrase (notes, melody, phrase)
slur (no object)
用法筆記
This is a technical term used in music teaching and performance. The verb corresponds to the noun sense (music notation) — the symbol tells the performer to 'slur' the notes.
3. To make damaging or insulting statements about someone in order to hurt their go
To make damaging or insulting statements about someone in order to hurt their good name and how others see them.
The candidate tried to slur his opponent's reputation by spreading false stories about her business record.
Hassan felt the article was written deliberately to slur his reputation in the community.
collocation: slur [someone's] reputation
The blog was sued for attempting to slur the company's name with completely false accusations.
Instead of debating the real issues the candidate chose to slur his rival's character.
文法句型
slur + noun phrase (someone, someone's name/reputation)
用法筆記
Distinguish from noun sense 1 (disparaging remark): when used as a verb, the focus is on the action of harming someone's reputation, not just the remark itself. Frequently used in political and legal contexts.