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# slur

«slur» in Mova's school dictionary: **to speak words unclearly, so the sounds run together, for…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

noun (a slur, slurs); verb (slur, slurs, slurred, slurring)

### meaning for a pupil

1) To slur means to speak words unclearly, so the sounds run together, for example when someone is very tired, ill or drunk. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/slur/#m1)

2) A slur is an insult or unkind remark that damages someone's reputation, as in «a slur on his good name». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/slur/#m2)

3) A slur is a nasty, hurtful word used against a group of people, such as because of their race, religion or disability; using slurs is bullying and can be against the law. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/slur/#m3)

4) (music) A slur is a curved line over notes showing they should be played or sung smoothly together. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/slur/#m4)

### sense in the lessons

In health and safety lessons, slurred speech can be a warning sign of a stroke, so you should get help fast (call emergency services). In PSHE lessons, pupils learn that slurs hurt people and should be reported. In music lessons, a slur is a smooth curve over notes. Phrases: «slurred speech», «a racial slur», «a slur on someone's character».

### examples

- His speech was slurred because he had just woken from the operation. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/slur/#x1)
- Using slurs about someone's race is never OK. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/slur/#x2)
- The newspaper's story was a slur on her good name. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/slur/#x3)
- Slurred speech can be a sign of a stroke, so call for help quickly. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/slur/#x4)
- In music, play the notes under the slur smoothly. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/slur/#x5)
- The teacher told the class that slurs are a kind of bullying. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/slur/#x6)

### note

Verb doubles the r: slurred, slurring. Countable noun: a slur, slurs. Speaking unclearly from tiredness is not the same as using a slur (an insult); the meanings are very different.

### In the corpora

- [In Manchester, Lettie's mum is slurring her words and stumbling at tea time, and she forgets Lettie's school play.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/497-tired-sad-or-drinking-parents-tell-a-trusted-adult/14/)
- [Drinking too much alcohol changes how people act: slurring words, stumbling, forgetting, getting loud.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/497-tired-sad-or-drinking-parents-tell-a-trusted-adult/32/)
- [Some words about disabled people are slurs that hurt deeply; telling a teacher is the right move.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/506-a-sibling-with-a-disability-or-illness-or-who-left-home/33/)
- [At pick-up, Liam-Jay's mum is stumbling and slurring.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/35/)
- [Shivering hard, pale skin, slurred speech and being very sleepy can be signs a person is getting dangerously cold.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/medicine/50-heat-sun-and-cold-on-sports-day/14/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «slur» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/slur/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.