slur Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun (music) a curved line spanning notes that are to be played legato
  2. noun a disparaging remark
    aspersion.
    • in the 19th century any reference to female sexuality was considered a vile aspersion
    • it is difficult for a woman to understand a man's sensitivity to any slur on his virility
  3. noun a blemish made by dirt
    smirch; blot; smear; spot; smudge; daub.
    • he had a smudge on his cheek
  4. verb play smoothly or legato
    • the pianist slurred the most beautiful passage in the sonata
  5. verb speak disparagingly of; e.g., make a racial slur
    • your comments are slurring your co-workers
  6. verb utter indistinctly
  7. verb become vague or indistinct
    dim; blur.
    • The distinction between the two theories blurred

WordNet

Slur transitive verb
Etymology
Cf. OE. sloor mud, clay, Icel. slra, slora, to trail or drag one's self along, D. sleuren, sloren, to train, to drag, to do negligently and slovenly, D. sloor, sloerie, a sluttish girl.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Slurred ; present participle & verbal noun Slurring
Definitions
  1. To soil; to sully; to contaminate; to disgrace. Cudworth.
  2. To disparage; to traduce. Tennyson.
  3. To cover over; to disguise; to conceal; to pass over lightly or with little notice.
    With periods, points, and tropes, he slurs his crimes. Dryden.
  4. To cheat, as by sliding a die; to trick. R.
    To slur men of what they fought for. Hudibras.
  5. To pronounce indistinctly; as, to slur syllables.
  6. (Mus.) To sing or perform in a smooth, gliding style; to connect smoothly in performing, as several notes or tones. Busby.
  7. (Print.) To blur or double, as an impression from type; to mackle.
Slur noun
Definitions
  1. A mark or stain; hence, a slight reproach or disgrace; a stigma; a reproachful intimation; an innuendo. "Gaining to his name a lasting slur." South.
  2. A trick played upon a person; an imposition. R.
  3. (Mus.) A mark, thus [&upslur; or &downslur;], connecting notes that are to be sung to the same syllable, or made in one continued breath of a wind instrument, or with one stroke of a bow; a tie; a sign of legato.
  4. In knitting machines, a contrivance for depressing the sinkers successively by passing over them.

Webster 1913