slur

slur¹ mud; to disparage

Etymology

The noun meaning thin, fluid mud is inherited from Middle English slore, also sloor,^{[2][3][4][5][6]} of obscure origin;^[7][2][8] the verb meaning to smear, and later to disparage, is a conversion of it.^[7][8][2][3] The OED compares Middle Dutch slore (“a sluttish woman”), modern Dutch sloor,^[7][9] and Etymonline and Barnhart see a cognate in continental words for trailing in mud, such as Middle Low German slūren and Middle Dutch sloren (“to trail in mud”), with Middle High German slier (“mud”).^[2][3][6] Klein, Skeat and Partridge take the Middle English noun from Middle Dutch.^[10][11][12] Weekley thought slur² perhaps cognate with it, and found that some senses cannot be assigned to one verb or the other;^[4] Collins derives the whole word from Middle Low German.^[13]

Earliest recorded meaning

Thin or fluid mud: c. 1440, in the Promptorium Parvulorum.^[7][3] Etymonline dates slore to the mid-15th century.^[2]

Semantic evolution

The verb, to smear or sully, is first recorded in Marston's Antonio's Revenge (1602) and is now dialectal.^[7][3] As with mud-slinging and aspersion, smearing led to criticising, and later to glossing over a fault, from which came the idea of speaking indistinctly.^[14] Barnhart and the OED date both "to disparage" and "to pass over lightly" to 1660, in H. More,^[7][3] and Etymonline puts "disparage" in the 1650s.^[2] The noun "a deliberate slight" goes back to 1609,^[7][6][3] and cast a slur on to 1654.^[7] Johnson (1755) defined the noun as "faint reproach; slight disgrace".^[15] In music the verb is recorded from 1746 for singing or playing notes smoothly,^[7][2] and the noun from 1786 for the curved line that marks them.^[7] Blurring (1782, in Reynolds) led to slurred speech: the OED dates the intransitive sense to 1893, in Kipling, but Etymonline finds it by 1827.^[7][3][2] Since 1888 a slur has also been an offensive term used against people for their race, sex or sexual orientation.^[7] Merriam-Webster places the senses "pass over lightly" and the musical noun under slur², not under this word.^[6] In dialects from Scotland to Devon the verb meant to smear or daub and to sneer or jibe; in Derbyshire sheep were slurred when marked with raddle.^[16]

Timeline

• c. 1440 – noun, thin or fluid mud.^[7][3]
• 1602 – to smear, stain, sully, in Marston's Antonio's Revenge.^[7][3]
• 1609 – noun, a deliberate slight.^[7][6][3]
• 1654 – cast a slur on.^[7]
• 1660 – to disparage; to pass over lightly.^[7][3] Etymonline dates the sense to disparage to the 1650s.^[2]
• 1746 – in music, to sing or play notes smoothly.^[7][2]
• 1782 – to blur, make indistinct.^[7][3]
• 1786 – the curved line joining notes in music.^[7]
• 1861 – a slurred sound or utterance.^[7]
• 1888 – an offensive term of abuse.^[7]
• 1893 – of speech, to become indistinct.^[7] Etymonline dates it by 1827.^[2]

Meanings

Verb

1. To pronounce words indistinctly, running the sounds together: By midnight he had begun to slur his words.^[13][7][6]
2. To disparage or cast aspersions on.^[13][7][6]
3. To pass over something lightly or carelessly, usually with over.^[13][7][6]
4. (music) To play or sing notes smoothly and without a break, or to mark them with a slur.^[13][7]
5. To blur or smudge, as in printing.^[13][7][6]
6. (dialect) To smear or soil.^[6][7][16]

Noun

1. An insulting or disparaging remark, especially an offensive term for a group of people: The coach apologized for the slur.^[6][7][13]
2. A stain on someone's reputation, especially in cast a slur on.^[6][7][13]
3. (music) A curved line over or under notes that are to be played or sung smoothly; also the notes so played.^[7][6]
4. An indistinct sound or utterance.^[13][7]
5. (printing) A blurred spot caused by the paper slipping during printing.^[6][7]

Word family

• unslurred

slur² to slide; to cheat at dice

Etymology

The verb meaning to slide is perhaps borrowed from Low German slurrn (“to drag the feet, shuffle”),^{[7][8][6][17]} compare German schlurren and schlorren,^[7] Middle Low German slūren (“to drag, trail”) and Middle Dutch sloren, modern Dutch sleuren.^[7][8][6][4] Dictionary.com likewise compares the Low German and Dutch verbs for its senses of gliding and smooth transition.^[9]

Earliest recorded meaning

To slip or slide a die out of the box so that it does not turn, as a cheat: 1594, in Nashe's Unfortunate Traveller.^[7][6] Munday and Drayton's Sir John Oldcastle (1600) has "dost thou not cog, nor foist, nor slur?"^[17]

Semantic evolution

The word belonged first to gamblers' cheating: the noun for a way of cheating at dice is recorded from before 1643, in Cartwright's Ordinary,^[7] the cheats called slur-boys in 1671,^[17] and the verb "to cheat, cozen" in Butler's Hudibras (1664).^[7] B.E.'s dictionary of cant (c. 1698) defines slur as a cheat at dice.^[17] The noun also meant a gliding movement in dancing, from 1598 in Marston's Scourge of Villanie,^[7][6] and the verb "to slide, slide about" from 1617, now only in dialect.^[7] In northern English dialects it was used especially of sliding on ice in clogs, and of a cart-wheel skidding.^[16] A slur in a knitting machine, a sliding part that presses down the sinkers, is recorded from 1796.^[7][8]

Timeline

• 1594 – to slide a die so that it does not roll, to cheat.^[7][6]
• 1598 – noun, a gliding movement in dancing.^[7][6]
• 1617 – to slide, slide about (now dialect).^[7]
• before 1643 – noun, a way of cheating at dice.^[7][17]
• 1664 – to cheat or cozen.^[7]
• 1796 – a sliding part in a knitting machine.^[7][8]
• 1889 – to drag, move heavily.^[7]

Meanings

Verb

1. (dialect) To slide or slip, especially on ice.^[7][16]
2. (obsolete) To slide a die out of the box so that it does not roll, in order to cheat.^[6][7][8]

Noun

1. A sliding part in a knitting machine that presses down the sinkers.^[6][7][8]
2. (obsolete) A gliding movement in dancing.^[6][7][8]