Slow \Slow\ (sl[=o]), a. [Compar. Slower (sl[=o]"[~e]r);
superl. Slowest.] [OE. slow, slaw, AS. sl[=a]w; akin to OS.
sl[=e]u blunt, dull, D. sleeuw, slee, sour, OHG. sl[=e]o
blunt, dull, Icel. sl[=o]r, sl[ae]r, Dan. sl["o]v, Sw.
sl["o]. Cf. Sloe, and Sloth.]
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.
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2. Not happening in a short time; gradual; late.
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These changes in the heavens, though slow, produced
Like change on sea and land, sidereal blast.
--Milton.
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3. Not ready; not prompt or quick; dilatory; sluggish; as,
slow of speech, and slow of tongue.
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Fixed on defense, the Trojans are not slow
To guard their shore from an expected foe. --Dryden.
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4. Not hasty; not precipitate; acting with deliberation;
tardy; inactive.
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He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding.
--Prov. xiv.
29.
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5. Behind in time; indicating a time earlier than the true
time; as, the clock or watch is slow.
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6. Not advancing or improving rapidly; as, the slow growth of
arts and sciences.
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7. Heavy in wit; not alert, prompt, or spirited; wearisome;
dull. [Colloq.] --Dickens. Thackeray.
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Note: 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.
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Slow coach, a slow person. See def.7, above. [Colloq.]
Slow lemur, or Slow loris (Zool.), 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 under Match.
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Syn: Dilatory; late; lingering; tardy; sluggish; dull;
inactive.
Usage: 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.
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Match \Match\ (m[a^]ch), n. [OE. macche, F. m[`e]che, F.
m[`e]che, fr. L. myxa a lamp nozzle, Gr. my`xa mucus,
nostril, a lamp nozzle. Cf. Mucus.]
Anything used for catching and retaining or communicating
fire, made of some substance which takes fire readily, or
remains burning some time; esp., a small strip or splint of
wood or cardboard dipped at one end in a substance which can
be easily ignited by friction, as a preparation of phosphorus
or chlorate of potassium.
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Match tub, a tub with a perforated cover for holding slow
matches for firing cannon, esp. on board ship. The tub
contains a little water in the bottom, for extinguishing
sparks from the lighted matches.
Quick match, threads of cotton or cotton wick soaked in a
solution of gunpowder mixed with gum arabic and boiling
water and afterwards strewed over with mealed powder. It
burns at the rate of one yard in thirteen seconds, and is
used as priming for heavy mortars, fireworks, etc.
Slow match, slightly twisted hempen rope soaked in a
solution of limewater and saltpeter or washed in a lye of
water and wood ashes. It burns at the rate of four or five
inches an hour, and is used for firing cannon, fireworks,
etc.
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