slip

fall/slip through the cracks

to get lost or be forgotten, especially within a system. It seems that important information given to the police may have fallen through the cracks.

See also: crack, fall, through

give someone the slip (informal)

to escape from someone who is with you, following you, or watching you. There was a man following me when I left the office, but I gave him the slip on the crowded main street.

See also: give

let slip something

to say something that you did not intend to say because you wanted to keep it secret. Pam let slip an interesting bit of gossip yesterday. Stupidly, I let it slip that they'd decided not to give him the job. (often + that)

See also: let

someone's mask slips

if someone's mask slips, they do something which shows people their real personality, when they have been pretending to be a different, usually nicer, type of person. His mask had suddenly slipped, and she saw him as the angry and cruel man that he really was.

a pink slip (American)

a letter from your employer which tells you that you do not have a job any more. It was Christmas time when Miller got his pink slip from the company.

See also: pink

slip your mind

if something slips your mind, you forget about it. I meant to tell her Nigel had phoned, but it completely slipped my mind.

See also: mind

a slip of the tongue

a mistake you make when speaking, such as using the wrong word. Did I say she was forty? I meant fourteen - just a slip of the tongue.

See also: tongue

slip through your fingers

1. if something you hope to achieve slips through your fingers, you do not manage to achieve it. He has seen the world championship slip through his fingers twice. This is my big chance to make a career in journalism. I can't let it slip through my fingers.

2. if someone slips through your fingers they manage to escape from you. We've got men guarding all the exits and more men on the roof. He won't slip through our fingers this time.

See also: finger, through

slip through the net

to not be caught or dealt with by the system that should be catching or dealing with you. The system is failing and mental patients who badly need help are still slipping through the net. Innocent people have been falsely convicted while the guilty ones may be slipping through the net.

See also: net, through

There's many a slip twixt cup and lip. (literary)

something that you say in order to warn someone not to be too confident about the result of a plan, because many things can go wrong before it is completed. We still might finish in time for the deadline, but there's many a slip twixt cup and lip.

See also: cup, lip, many

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give someone the slip

to escape from someone who is watching or following you. Reporters kept trying to follow the agents, and the agents drove in circles trying to give them the slip.

See also: give

let something slip

to say something that you intended to keep secret. She doesn't like to tell people what she's doing, but sometimes she'll let something slip. From time to time, Alex lets slip an ugly comment about his colleagues.

Usage notes: also used in the form let it slip: Pam let it slip that I'm not going to be promoted.

See also: let

let someone slip through your fingers

to allow someone to escape from you. The police let the main suspect slip through their fingers.

See also: finger, let, through

let something slip through your fingers

1. to waste an opportunity to achieve something. This is my big chance to make a career in journalism and I can't let it slip through my fingers.

Usage notes: sometimes used without let: He has seen the world championship slip through his fingers twice.

2. to fail to get or keep something. The team lost one of their star players to Seattle last year, and didn't want to let another slip through their fingers.

See also: finger, let, through

slip away

1. to leave quickly and quietly. On the last night of conference, I decided to slip away for a few hours.

2. to slowly become less strong or able. She found her health rapidly slipping away. Every day a little more of his strength slips away.

3. to be no longer available. We're trying to keep the tradition alive, but it's starting to slip away. I let a great opportunity slip away.

4. to die. The doctors worked quickly, but the old man was slipping away.

See also: away

slip into something

to put on clothing quickly and easily. Nancy slipped into her pajamas. Don't you think you'd better slip something on before you go to the door?

slip your mind

to be forgotten. I meant to tell her that Nick had phoned, but it completely slipped my mind.

See also: mind

slip off

to leave quickly and quietly. After lunch, Frank slipped off for a short nap.

slip off something

to remove clothing quickly and easily. Before I knew it he had slipped out of his shirt and put his arm around me. She slipped her gloves off and set them on the table.

slip out

1. to leave quickly and quietly. I'll try to slip out at lunchtime and see if I can find her.

2. to unintentionally become known. It slipped out during her interview that she had been fired from her last job.

slip up

to make a mistake. It was unusual for him to slip up that way and forget a meeting.