slave

play

noun \ˈslāv\

Definition of slave

1 : a person held in servitude as the chattel of another
2 : one that is completely subservient to a dominating influence
3 : a device (such as the printer of a computer) that is directly responsive to another
4 : drudge, toiler

slave

adjective

See slave defined for English-language learners

See slave defined for kids

Examples of slave in a Sentence

He treats her like a slave.
Do it yourself! I'm not your slave!

Origin and Etymology of slave

Middle English sclave, from Anglo-French or Medieval Latin; Anglo-French esclave, from Medieval Latin sclavus, from Sclavus Slav; from the frequent enslavement of Slavs in central Europe during the early Middle Ages

NEW!

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

Other Government and Politics Terms

agent provocateur, agitprop, autarky, cabal, egalitarianism, federalism, hegemony, plenipotentiary, popular sovereignty, socialism

slave

verb

Definition of slave

slaved

;

slaving

transitive verb
1 archaic : enslave
2 : to make directly responsive to another mechanism
intransitive verb
1 : to work like a slave : drudge
2 : to traffic in slaves

See slave defined for English-language learners

Examples of slave in a Sentence

I slaved all morning to get the work done on time.
She's been slaving away at her homework.

First Known Use of slave

1602

Slave

play

geographical name \ˈslāv\

Definition of Slave

river 258 miles (415 kilometers) long in Canada flowing from the western end of Lake Athabasca north into Great Slave Lake

SLAVE Defined for English Language Learners

slave

play

noun

Definition of slave for English Language Learners

: someone who is legally owned by another person and is forced to work for that person without pay
: a person who is strongly influenced and controlled by something

slave

verb

Definition of slave for English Language Learners

: to work very hard

SLAVE Defined for Kids

slave

play

noun \ˈslāv\

Definition of slave for Students

1 : a person who is owned by another person and can be sold at the owner's will
2 : a person who is strongly influenced and controlled by something a slave to fashion
3 : drudge

slave

play

verb

Definition of slave for Students

slaved

;

slaving

: to work very hard, for long hours, or under difficult conditions … I could only see myself slaving … in the tobacco fields. — Robert Louis Stevenson, Kidnapped