slavish

  • 1Slavish — Slav ish, a. Of or pertaining to slaves; such as becomes or befits a slave; servile; excessively laborious; as, a slavish life; a slavish dependance on the great. {Slav ish*ly}, adv. {Slav ish*ness}, n. [1913 Webster] …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 2slavish — [slā′vish] adj. 1. of or characteristic of a slave or slaves; specif., a) hopelessly submissive; servile b) Now Rare involving drudgery; laborious 2. blindly dependent or imitative [slavish adherence to a model] slavishly adv. slavishness n …

    English World dictionary

  • 3slavish — index loyal, obsequious, pliable, pliant, sequacious, servile, subservient Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton …

    Law dictionary

  • 4slavish — 1560s, from SLAVE (Cf. slave) + ISH (Cf. ish). Sense of servilely imitative is from 1753. Related: Slavishly; slavishness …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 5slavish — servile, menial, *subservient, obsequious Analogous words: *mean, abject, ignoble, sordid: *tame, subdued, submissive: *miserable, wretched …

    New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • 6slavish — is spelt without an e …

    Modern English usage

  • 7slavish — ► ADJECTIVE 1) showing no attempt at originality. 2) servile or submissive. DERIVATIVES slavishly adverb …

    English terms dictionary

  • 8slavish — slavishly, adv. slavishness, n. /slay vish/, adj. 1. of or befitting a slave: slavish subjection. 2. being or resembling a slave; abjectly submissive: He was slavish in his obedience. 3. base; mean; ignoble: slavish fears. 4. deliberately… …

    Universalium

  • 9slavish — [[t]sle͟ɪvɪʃ[/t]] 1) ADJ GRADED (disapproval) You use slavish to describe things that copy or imitate something exactly, without any attempt to be original. She herself insists she is no slavish follower of fashion. Derived words: slavishly ADV… …

    English dictionary

  • 10slavish — slav•ish [[t]ˈsleɪ vɪʃ[/t]] adj. 1) of or befitting a slave: slavish subjection[/ex] 2) being or resembling a slave; abjectly submissive 3) deliberately imitative: a slavish reproduction[/ex] 4) base; mean; ignoble: slavish fears[/ex] • Etymology …

    From formal English to slang