Part 468

Sleigh bell, a small bell attached either to a horse when drawing a slegh, or to the sleigh itself; especially a globular bell with a loose ball which plays inside instead of a clapper.

Sleigh"ing, n. 1. The act of riding in a sleigh.

2. The state of the snow or ice which admits of running sleighs.

Sleight (?), n. [OE. sleighte, sleihte, sleithe, Icel. sl&?;g&?; (for sl&?;g&?;) slyness, cunning, fr. sl&?;gr (for sl&?;gr) sly, cunning. See Sly.] 1. Cunning; craft; artful practice. [Obs.] "His sleight and his covin." Chaucer.

2. An artful trick; sly artifice; a feat so dexterous that the manner of performance escapes observation.

The world hath many subtle sleights.

Latimer.

3. Dexterous practice; dexterity; skill. Chaucer. "The juggler's sleight." Hudibras.

Sleight of hand, legerdemain; prestidigitation.

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Sleight"ful (?), a. Cunning; dexterous. [Obs.]

Sleight"ly (?), adv. Cinningly. [Obs.] Huloet.

Sleight"y (?), a. Cinning; sly. [Obs.] Huloet.

Slen"der (?), a. [Compar. Slenderer (?); superl. Slenderest.] [OE. slendre, sclendre, fr. OD. slinder thin, slender, perhaps through a French form; cf. OD. slinderen, slidderen, to creep; perh. akin to E. slide.] 1. Small or narrow in proportion to the length or the height; not thick; slim; as, a slender stem or stalk of a plant. "A slender, choleric man." Chaucer.

She, as a veil down to the slender waist, Her unadorned golden tresses wore.

Milton.

2. Weak; feeble; not strong; slight; as, slender hope; a slender constitution.

Mighty hearts are held in slender chains.

Pope.

They have inferred much from slender premises.

J. H. Newman.

The slender utterance of the consonants.

J. Byrne.

3. Moderate; trivial; inconsiderable; slight; as, a man of slender intelligence.

A slender degree of patience will enable him to enjoy both the humor and the pathos.

Sir W. Scott.

4. Small; inadequate; meager; pitiful; as, slender means of support; a slender pittance.

Frequent begging makes slender alms.