slip away
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb (intransitive):
- To leave a place or situation quietly, secretly, or without being noticed. This is the most common meaning, implying a discreet or unnoticed departure.
- To pass by or elapse (of time). This meaning describes time moving forward, often quickly or unnoticed.
Examples of Usage
- Verb:
- He waited for a moment of distraction to slip away from the party. (He left the party secretly when no one was looking.)
- I saw her slip away from the meeting early. (I saw her leave the meeting quietly and before it ended.)
- The afternoon slipped away as we talked. (The afternoon passed by quickly while we were talking.)
- Don't let this opportunity slip away. (Don't let this opportunity pass by or be lost.)
Advanced Usage
- "to slip away from someone/something": to escape or get free from a person, place, or situation.
- The suspect managed to slip away from the police in the crowded market.
- "to slip away into something": to disappear or fade into a state or place.
- The old traditions are slowly slipping away into history.
- He slipped away into a deep sleep.
Variants and Related Words
- Slip out (phrasal verb): Very similar in meaning to "slip away," often used for leaving a room or enclosed space.
- I need to slip out for a phone call.
- Elapse (verb): A more formal synonym for the passage of time.
- Several hours elapsed before they returned.
Synonyms
- For leaving: sneak away, steal away, leave unnoticed, disappear.
- For time passing: pass by, go by, elapse, fly by.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Slip out: See "Variants and Related Words" above.
- Slip off: Can mean to leave quietly or to remove something quickly.
- He slipped off his shoes and slipped off to bed.
Related Idioms
- To slip through one's fingers: To be lost or missed, often referring to an opportunity.
- We can't let the championship slip through our fingers. (This shares the conceptual idea of something "slipping away" from one's grasp.)
Verb
- pass by
- three years elapsed
- leave furtively and stealthily
- The lecture was boring and many students slipped out when the instructor turned towards the blackboard