aslope

English

Etymology

From Middle English aslope, probably from or akin to Old English āslopen, past participle of Old English āslūpan (“to slip away”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /əˈsləʊp/

• Audio (Berkshire, UK):

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Adjective

aslope (not comparable)

1. (archaic) Slanted or sloping.

   Synonyms: diagonal, oblique

   • 1830, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, “Love, Hope, and Patience in Education” in The Poetical Works of S. T. Coleridge, London: William Pickering, 1834, Volume 3, p. 331,^[1]

     Methinks, I see them group’d in seemly show,

     The straiten’d arms uprais’d, the palms aslope,

   • 1911, G. K. Chesterton, The Innocence of Father Brown, The Honor of Israel Gow

     Far as the eye could see, farther and farther as they mounted the slope, were seas beyond seas of pines, now all aslope one way under the wind.

Adverb

aslope (not comparable)

1. (archaic) Slanted or sloping.

   Synonyms: diagonally, obliquely

   • 1516, Robert Fabyan, Fabyan’s Chronicle, London: William Rastell, 1533, Part 7,^[2]

     But the Flemynges with theyr arbalasters and theyr longe mareys pykes set aslope before them wounded so theyr horses, that they lay tumbelynge one in the others necke […]

   • 1674, Charles Cotton, The Compleat Gamester, London: R. Cutler, Chapter 5, p. 55,^[3]

     The Bishop walks always in the same colour of the field that he is first placed in, forward and backward asloap every way as far as he lists;

   • 1710, Jonathan Swift, “A Description of a City Shower” in Miscellanies, London: Benjamin Motte, 1733, Volume 4, p. 141,^[4]

     Brisk Susan whips her Linnen from the Rope,

     While the first drizzling Show’r is born aslope,
2. (archaic, figurative) In an unintended or unfavourable direction.

   Synonym: off course

Preposition

aslope

1. (archaic) Diagonally over or across.

   Synonyms: aslant, athwart

   • 1616, Thomas Middleton, Civitas Amor, London: Thomas Archer, “Prince Charles his Creation,”^[5]

     […] the King […] puts the Belt ouer the necke of the Knight, aslope his breast, placing the Sword vnder his left Arme:

   • 1899, Madison Cawein, “The Last Song” in Myth and Romance, New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, pp. 29-30,^[6]

     A lute, aslope

     The curious baldric of his tunic, glints

     With pearl-reflections of the moon,

Anagrams

• El Paso