give sb the slip

Although the meanings of the words in them do not make any sense when examined one by one, the word groups that are shaped according to the cultural roots of the language and that make sense as a whole are called idioms. give sb the slip meaning, in what situations is it used?

Meaning of "give sb the slip"

Meaning

The idiomatic phrase ‘give someone the slip’ has the literal meaning of to slip away or escape someone. It is commonly used to explain that someone manages to escape the attention of someone else, managing to avoid capture or surveillance, or to leave a place suddenly, without being seen.

Etymology

The phrase is thought to have come from the phrase ‘get the slip on’, which was used in the 1500’s to mean to gain an advantage over someone else. This phrase is thought to be derived from the phrase ‘slip the cable’, which is a nautical phrase for to get a ship untied from the dock and to drift away. The phrase ‘give someone the slip’ first appeared in the early 1800’s and has since been popularized and adopted by writers, poets, and everyday speakers.

Usage

The phrase ‘give someone the slip’ is used to talk about escaping or avoiding someone or something, usually in a manner that is undetected. It is often used when someone has evaded capture or surveillance and when someone has managed to get away without being noticed. It is also sometimes used in a less literal sense, to mean to get away with something or to escape a difficult situation without being caught.

Example Sentences

• The spy managed to give his followers the slip and escape the area undetected.
• The thief gave the security guards the slip and disappeared into the night.
• He was able to give the police the slip and make it home safely.
• I'm glad I was able to give my creditors the slip and escape their attention.

From One Language to Another: Idioms in Translation

Translating idioms from one language to another can be a tricky task, as the cultural context behind an idiom can be difficult to capture. For example, the French phrase "avoir le cafard" translates to "to have the cockroach," which means to feel down or depressed. Similarly, the Chinese idiom "????" (j?ng d? zh? w?) translates to "frog at the bottom of a well," which refers to someone with a narrow view of the world.