1. 慢的　 a person or thing that is slow; does not move or do sth quickly
2. 迟钝的，不灵巧的　 not good or quick in understanding; dull in mind
3. （营业等）清淡的，不忙碌的　 not very active; dull

　～ afternoon　沉闷的下午
　～ child　反应慢的孩子
　～ erosion　缓慢的侵蚀
　～ journey　缓慢旅行
　～ learner　迟钝的学习者
　～ march　缓步行进
　～ music　慢节拍的音乐
　～ poison　慢性毒药
　～ progress　缓慢的进展
　～ pupils　迟钝的学生
　～ reason　淡季
　～ recovery　缓慢的恢复
　～ runner　跑得慢的人
　～ town　落后的城镇
　～ train　慢车
　～ vehicle　行驶缓慢的车
　～ walk　缓步行走
　～ walker　走得慢的人
　3 minutes ～　（表等）慢三分钟
　～ to anger　不轻易发怒
　～ at　在…方面缓慢的〔迟钝的〕
　～ at accounts　不善于算账
　～ at arithmetic　不擅长算术
　～ at figures　不善于计算
　～ at sb's work　工作缓慢
　～ in　在…方面缓慢的〔迟钝的〕
　～ in action　行动缓慢
　～ in learning English　学英语很迟钝
　～ in making up one's mind　迟迟拿不定主意
　～ in reacting　反应迟钝
　～ in understanding　理解力迟钝
　～ of　在…方面缓慢的〔迟钝的〕
　～ of hearing　听觉不灵
　～ of learning　学得慢
　～ of speech　不善辞令

　He caught the slow train to Birmingham.　他赶上去伯明翰的慢车。
　This is the slow lane of a motorway.　这是高速公路的慢车道。
　It was a slow poison.　那是种慢慢发作的毒药。
　He is a slow runner.　他跑得慢。
　Parts of the film were shown again in slow motion.　电影有的部分用慢动作重映一遍。

　Why are you so slow?Hurry up!　你为什么这么慢?快一点！
　That clock is five minutes slow.　那钟慢了五分钟。
　The station clocks are two minutes slow.　火车站的钟慢两分钟。
　Beijing is several hours slow on Tokyo.　北京的时间比东京的时间晚几小时。
　These articles were particularly slow.　这些商品特别滞销。
　The party was rather slow at first but it soon picked up with her arrival.　起初交谊会很不活跃，但随着她的到来，气氛很快就活跃起来了。
　We thought the party was rather slow.　我们觉得那舞会不甚精彩。
　That game is a bit slow for my taste.　对于我来说那项运动很没趣。
　Business is slow just now.　目前生意清淡。
　I'm sorry I'm so slow today, I didn't get much sleep last night.　对不起，我今天反应太迟钝，我昨天晚上没睡多少觉。
　They were very slow about paying me.　他们给我付款拖拖拉拉。
　She is slow to wrath.　她轻易不动怒。
　You are painfully slow with your figures.　你计算得实在太慢了。
　He was slow to answer, deliberating on each question.　他仔细斟酌每一个问题，不急于回答。
　She's not slow to tell us what she thinks.　她总是毫不犹豫地把她的想法告诉我们。
　He's slow to take a stand.　他不轻易表明立场。
　Don't worry if your child was slow to learn to walk.　如果你的孩子学步慢请不要担心。
　He is not slow to defend himself.　他总是为自己开脱。
　The public has been rather slow to recognize the implications of the new law.　公众对这一新法律的含义的认识十分迟缓。
　Those who are quick to promise are generally slow to perform.　〈谚〉轻诺寡信。
　He was so slow that many thought him mentally retarded.　他迟钝得很，许多人以为他智力低下。
　Heavy traffic made our journey very slow.　繁忙的交通使我们的旅行十分费时。
　Long grass makes the field slower.　场地上草很长会影响球的速度。

 ♣ slow at
　对（某事）迟钝的　be slow in; reacting slowly
　He's particularly slow at arithmetic.　他在算术方面特别迟钝。
　He is slow at accounts.　他不善于算账。
　He is slow at his work.　他不善于本职工作。
　He is slow at learning a language.　他不善于学习语言。
　He is slow at paying.　他付款不及时。
 ♣ slow in
　迟慢的　tardy
　The too great length of neck and limb made him loose and slow in body, as he was somewhat loose and slow in mind.　他脖子和手臂过长使他身体松垮行动缓慢，正像他的头脑有些松散迟钝一样。
　He is slow in his movements.　他行动迟缓。
　She is slow in her work because she talks constantly to fellow workers.　因为不断和同事谈话，她的活干得很慢。
　He is slow in arriving.　他总是姗姗来迟。
　His son is slow in understanding.　他的儿子理解迟钝。
　He is absurdly slow in giving me an answer.　他迟迟不给我回音，真不像话。
　He was slow in taking offence.　他不轻易发脾气。
　He is slow in making up his mind in action.　他总是迟迟下不了决心。
 ♣ slow of
　不灵的　be ineffective
　My child is slow of speech.　我的孩子笨嘴拙舌。
　He is slow of understanding.　他理解能力差。
　He is slow of wit.　他智力差。

 ♣ 下面两个句子的意思相同：
　
 ♣ 下面两个句子的意思不同：
　

　慢慢地　slowly

　slow　用作副词时，常用来修饰动词。

　drive ～　驾车慢行
　play ～　弹奏得慢

　Drive slow!　驾车慢行！
　News travels slow to a backward region.　消息传到落后地区很慢。
　How slow the time passes!　时间过得多么慢啊！
　How slow would you like me to play?　你要我弹奏得多慢?

 ♣ go slow
1. 减慢速度 retarded motion
　Please tell the driver to go slower.　请叫司机开慢一点。
　The car went slower and slower until it came to a standstill.　车子越走越慢，最后，终于停了下来。
2. 怠工 work slowly
　The workers in our factory often went slow in the past.　我们厂的工人过去经常怠工。
3. 减少活动 be less active than usual
　You ought to go slow until you feel really well again.　你应该减少活动，要到真正康复以后再说。

 ♣ slow, slowly
　这两个词都有“慢”的意思，都可用作副词。其区别是：
1. slow除可用作副词外，还可用作形容词或动词。例如：
　He caught the slow train to Birmingham.　他赶上去伯明翰的慢车。
2. slow侧重于表示状态，而slowly则表示动作的方式。例如：
　
3. slowly可用在多种场合，位置较灵活，既可放在谓语动词之前，也可放在谓语动词之后，有时甚至放在句首；slow只用在如go, run, speak, read, burn, drive等动词的后面或how引起的感叹句中。例如：
　He walks slowly.　他走得很慢。
　Do speak slower!　说慢一点行吗！
　We slowly climbed over the mountain.　我们慢慢爬过了山头。
　We climbed slowly over the mountain.　我们慢慢爬过了山头。
　Slowly we climbed over the mountain.　慢慢地我们爬过了山头。
4. slow常可用于引申义。例如：
　Work became slow and he could earn only a few days' pay a month.　活儿变轻闲了，他每月只能挣到几天的工资。
5. slow比slowly语气更强。

　请慢慢说。
　［误］ Please slow speak.
　［正］ Please speak slow.
　［析］ slow与go, drive, speak, read, walk, run等动词连用时，一般放在这些词之后。

　vt. & vi.（使）缓行，（使）减速 go at a slower speed

　～ the car　放慢车速
　～ the horse　放慢马速
　～ down〔up〕　降低速度
　～ down〔up〕 a motorcar　放慢汽车速度

　The river slows on the flat bottom.　河水在平坦的河床上减慢了流速。
　The train slowed as it went around the curve.　火车驶过弯道时放慢了速度。
　His illness slowed him at school.　他的病耽误了他的学业。
　The thick snow slowed her progress.　厚厚的积雪使她前进速度放慢。
　The train slowed its speed as it went around the curve.　火车拐弯时速度慢了下来。
　He slowed the horse to a walk.　他放慢马速，使之缓步而行。
　They slowed their speed to 40 kilometres an hour.　他们降低车速至每小时40公里。
　He slowed acquisition of the knowledge of radio by self-study.　他通过自学逐渐掌握了无线电知识。

 ♣ slow down〔up〕　(v.+adv.)
1. （使）慢下来 move at a slower rate
　The car slowed down.　汽车慢下来了。
　Slow down before you reach the crossing.　车快要到十字路口时就得减速。
　The road is slippery, you'd better slow down.　路滑，你最好减速。
　Slow down, will you?There's a police car ahead.　放慢速度，好吗?前面有一辆警车。
　You have to slow down your car at the crossing.　在十字路口，你得放慢速度。
　The severe snowstorm has slowed the vehicles down.　猛烈的暴风雪使车辆放慢了速度。
　Can't you slow this machine down?　你难道不能使这台机器减速?
　She slowed down the car when she came to the mountain slope.　她开到山坡处的时候让车速慢了下来。
　She's quite fit, but her bad leg slows her down when we're out for a walk.　她很健康，可在我们出去散步时她那条残腿减慢了她走路的速度。
　The cold weather slowed down the construction of the bridge.　寒冷的天气使建桥工程进展缓慢。
　Their objections are slowing down the progress of the negotiations.　他们的反对使谈判进程放慢下来。
2. 生产缓慢，变得迟钝 make slow produce; become slow witted
　Business slows down in summer.　夏季生意清淡。
　Business slows down at this time of year.　每年这段时间生意清淡。
　Business slowed down at the stores after Christmas.　圣诞节过后商店的生意就不那么火了。
　He's over sixty, but he shows no signs of slowing down.　他年逾60岁，但毫无迟钝的形迹。
　He has slowed down a lot since his heart attack.　自心脏病发作以来，他的动作迟钝多了。
　You really ought to slow down, all these late nights are doing you no good.　你真该轻松一点了，这些天老开夜车对你的身体没好处。
　The doctor advised Jim to slow up for a time to give his heart a chance.　医生劝告吉姆过一段轻松的日子，给他的心脏以康复的机会。
　If I could find some way of slowing my father down, he's taking on far too much work.　如果我能找到什么办法使我的父亲轻松一些就好了，他干的工作太多了。
　The factory has had to slow down production since the workers refused to do their best.　自从工人怠工以来，这家工厂不得不减产。

 ♣ slow, delay, detain, retard, slacken
　参见delay条。

　这本书很乏味。
　［误］ This book is fairly slow.
　［正］ This book is rather slow.
　［析］ slow一般用rather或too等修饰，而不用fairly, much等修饰。

　一般说，在slow后用down比用up更合乎逻辑，而且slow down能与speed up形成对比，因此用slow down的人多一些， slow down的使用频率也就比较高。

　［同义词］ adj. backward, behind, crass, delayed, deliberate, dense, dull, dumb, gradual, laggard, late, lazy, leisurely, stupid, unhurried adv. slowly
　［反义词］ adj. active, fast, quick, rapid, swift
　［词源］　古英语slaw（缓慢的）