2. s. A rate of inclination or declination of a slope.
3. s. (calculus) Of a function y = f(x) or the graph of such a function, the rate of change of y with respect to x that is, the amount by which y changes for a certain (often unit) change in x equivalently
4. s. (science) The rate at which a physical quantity increases or decreases relative to change in a given variable, especially distance.
5. s. (analysis) A differential operator that maps each point of a scalar field to a vector pointed in the direction of the greatest rate of change of the scalar. Notation for a scalar field φ: ∇φ
6. s. A gradual change in color. A color gradient; gradation.
7. adj. Moving by steps; walking.
gradient automata
8. adj. Rising or descending by regular degrees of inclination.
the gradient line of a railroad
9. adj. Adapted for walking, as the feet of certain birds.
1. s. An area of ground that tends evenly upward or downward.
I had to climb a small slope to get to the site.
2. s. The degree to which a surface tends upward or downward.
The road has a very sharp downward slope at that point.
3. s. (mathematics) The ratio of the vertical and horizontal distances between two points on a line; zero if the line is horizontal, undefined if it is vertical.
The slope of this line is 0.5
4. s. (mathematics) The slope of the line tangent to a curve at a given point.
The slope of a parabola increases linearly with x.
5. s. The angle a roof surface makes with the horizontal, expressed as a ratio of the units of vertical rise to the units of horizontal length (sometimes referred to as run).
The slope of an asphalt shingle roof system should be 4:12 or greater.
6. s. (vulgar, highly offensive, ethnic slur) A person of Chinese or other East Asian descent.
7. v. (intransitive) To tend steadily upward or downward.
The road slopes sharply down at that point.
8. v. To form with a slope; to give an oblique or slanting direction to; to incline or slant.
to slope the ground in a garden; to slope a piece of cloth in cutting a garment
9. v. (colloquial usually followed by a preposition) To try to move surreptitiously.
I sloped in through the back door, hoping my boss wouldn't see me.
10. v. (military) To hold a rifle at a slope with forearm perpendicular to the body in front holding the butt, the rifle resting on the shoulder.
2. v. (cooking) To coat with batter (the food ingredient).
I prefer it when they batter the cod with breadcrumbs.
3. v. (figurative) To defeat soundly; to thrash.
Leeds United battered Charlton 7-0.
4. v. (slang) To intoxicate.
That cocktails will batter you!
I was battered last night on our pub crawl.
5. v. (metalworking) To flatten (metal) by hammering, so as to compress it inwardly and spread it outwardly.
6. s. (cooking) A beaten mixture of flour and liquid (usually egg and milk), used for baking (e.g. pancakes, cake, or Yorkshire pudding) or to coat food (e.g. fish) prior to frying
pancake batter
To the dismay of his mother, the boy put his finger into the cake batter.
7. s. A binge, a heavy drinking session.
When he went on a batter, he became very violent.
8. s. A paste of clay or loam.
9. s. (printing) A bruise on the face of a plate or of type in the form.
10. v. (architecture) To slope (of walls, buildings etc.).
11. s. An incline on the outer face of a built wall.
12. s. (baseball) The player attempting to hit the ball with a bat.
The first batter hit the ball into the corner for a double.
13. s. (cricket, rare) The player attempting to hit the ball with a bat; a batsman.
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