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slow

To go slower; often with up; as, the train slowed up before crossing the bridge.

1. Moving a short space in a relatively long time; not swift; not quick in motion; not rapid; moderate; deliberate; as, a slow stream; a slow motion.

2. Not happening in a short time; gradual; late. These changes in the heavens, though slow, produced Like change on sea and land, sidereal blast. (milton)

3. Not ready; not prompt or quick; dilatory; sluggish; as, slow of speech, and slow of tongue. Fixed on defense, the Trojans are not slow To guard their shore from an expected foe. (Dryden)

4. Not hasty; not precipitate; acting with deliberation; tardy; inactive. He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding. (Prov. Xiv. 29)

5. Behind in time; indicating a time earlier than the true time; as, the clock or watch is slow.

6. Not advancing or improving rapidly; as, the slow growth of arts and sciences.

7. Heavy in wit; not alert, prompt, or spirited; wearisome; dull.

Slow is often used in the formation of compounds for the most part self-explaining; as, slow-gaited, slow-paced, slow-sighted, slow-winged, and the like. Slow coach, a slow person. See def.7, above.

(Science: zoology) Slow lemur, or Slow loris, an East indian nocturnal lemurine animal (Nycticebus tardigradus) about the size of a small cat; so called from its slow and deliberate movements. It has very large round eyes and is without a tail. Called also bashful Billy. Slow match. See Match.

Synonym: Dilatory, late, lingering, tardy, sluggish, dull, inactive.

Slow, tardy, Dilatory. Slow is the wider term, denoting either a want of rapid motion or inertness of intellect. Dilatory signifies a proneness to defer, a habit of delaying the performance of what we know must be done. Tardy denotes the habit of being behind hand; as, tardy in making up one's acounts.

Origin: OE. Slow, slaw, AS. Slaw; akin to OS. Slu blunt, dull, D. Sleeuw, slee, sour, OHG. Slo blunt, dull, Icel. Slr, slr, Dan. Slov, Sw. Slo. Cf. Sloe, and Sloth.