slow

1 adjective

1 MOVE ETC not moving, being done, or happening quickly: a slow train | a slow, smoochy dance at the end of the evening | The computer's just so slow today, isn't it?

2 LONG TIME

a) taking a long time or a longer time than usual: With the fog and ice, our journey was very slow. | It's quite a slow process.

b) taking too long, especially because of someone being unwilling: a slow response to our requests for help | slow to recognize/see/follow etc: Our companies have been very slow to react to foreign competition.

3 CLOCK (not before noun) if a clock is slow it is showing a time earlier than the correct time: ten minutes/five minutes etc slow: The station clock was five minutes slow.

4 LARGE ROAD (only before noun) the slow lane on a large road is not intended for fast-moving vehicles

5 BUSINESS if business or trade is slow, there are not many customers or not much is sold

6 STUPID not good or quick at understanding things: Sometimes he can be rather slow. | helping the slower pupils | slow off the mark/slow on the uptake (=not good at understanding things)

— slowly adverb: The time passed slowly | slowly gathering speed as we rolled downhill 2 verb (I, T) also slow up to become slower or make something slower: The train slowed as it went around the bend. | Business slows up at this time of year. slow down phrasal verb

1 (intransitive, transitive) slow sth down to become slower or make something slower: Motorists should slow down and take extra care in foggy conditions. | My aching knee was beginning to slow me down.

2 (I) to become less active or busy than you usually are: You're sixty, it's time you slowed down a bit.

3 adverb slowly —see also: go­slow