Search Result for "slur": 
Wordnet 3.0

NOUN (3)

1. (music) a curved line spanning notes that are to be played legato;

2. a disparaging remark;
- Example: "in the 19th century any reference to female sexuality was considered a vile aspersion"
- Example: "it is difficult for a woman to understand a man's sensitivity to any slur on his virility"
[syn: aspersion, slur]

3. a blemish made by dirt;
- Example: "he had a smudge on his cheek"
[syn: smudge, spot, blot, daub, smear, smirch, slur]


VERB (4)

1. play smoothly or legato;
- Example: "the pianist slurred the most beautiful passage in the sonata"

2. speak disparagingly of; e.g., make a racial slur;
- Example: "your comments are slurring your co-workers"

3. utter indistinctly;

4. become vague or indistinct;
- Example: "The distinction between the two theories blurred"
[syn: blur, dim, slur]



The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Slur \Slur\, n.
   1. A mark or stain; hence, a slight reproach or disgrace; a
      stigma; a reproachful intimation; an innuendo. "Gaining to
      his name a lasting slur." --South.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. A trick played upon a person; an imposition. [R.]
      [1913 Webster]

   3. (Mus.) A mark, thus [[upslur] or [downslur]], connecting
      notes that are to be sung to the same syllable, or made in
      one continued breath of a wind instrument, or with one
      stroke of a bow; a tie; a sign of legato.
      [1913 Webster]

   4. In knitting machines, a contrivance for depressing the
      sinkers successively by passing over them.
      [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Slur \Slur\ (sl[^u]r), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Slurred (sl[^u]rd);
   p. pr. & vb. n. Slurring (sl[^u]r"r[i^]ng).] [Cf. OE. sloor
   mud, clay, Icel. sl[=o]ra, slo[eth]ra, to trail or drag one's
   self along, D. sleuren, sloren, to train, to drag, to do
   negligently and slovenly, D. sloor, sloerie, a sluttish
   girl.]
   1. To soil; to sully; to contaminate; to disgrace.
      --Cudworth.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To disparage; to traduce. --Tennyson.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. To cover over; to disguise; to conceal; to pass over
      lightly or with little notice.
      [1913 Webster]

            With periods, points, and tropes, he slurs his
            crimes.                               --Dryden.
      [1913 Webster]

   4. To cheat, as by sliding a die; to trick. [R.]
      [1913 Webster]

            To slur men of what they fought for.  --Hudibras.
      [1913 Webster]

   5. To pronounce indistinctly; as, to slur syllables; to slur
      one's words.
      [1913 Webster]

   6. (Mus.) To sing or perform in a smooth, gliding style; to
      connect smoothly in performing, as several notes or tones.
      --Busby.
      [1913 Webster]

   7. (Print.) To blur or double, as an impression from type; to
      mackle.
      [1913 Webster]


WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

slur
    n 1: (music) a curved line spanning notes that are to be played
         legato
    2: a disparaging remark; "in the 19th century any reference to
       female sexuality was considered a vile aspersion"; "it is
       difficult for a woman to understand a man's sensitivity to
       any slur on his virility" [syn: aspersion, slur]
    3: a blemish made by dirt; "he had a smudge on his cheek" [syn:
       smudge, spot, blot, daub, smear, smirch, slur]
    v 1: play smoothly or legato; "the pianist slurred the most
         beautiful passage in the sonata"
    2: speak disparagingly of; e.g., make a racial slur; "your
       comments are slurring your co-workers"
    3: utter indistinctly
    4: become vague or indistinct; "The distinction between the two
       theories blurred" [syn: blur, dim, slur] [ant:
       focalise, focalize, focus]