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Glite Dictionary
to slip up

to slip up

27 4.1
To make a small careless mistake
  • phrasal verb
  • /slɪp ʌp/
  • Informal
translation icon : equivocarse
  • If you slip up on a simple math problem, don't be too hard on yourself.
  • slipped up and said
  • just slipped up
  • sometimes slip up

And some of you may slip up, may cross that line.

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Examples

  • In middle school, if you slip up, you get a second chance.

    Academic text (2014)

  • All witnesses did their best to keep their stories consistent, but they did slip up a bit.

    Blog text (10)

  • And some of you may slip up, may cross that line.

    Stephan Speaks

  • Man I hate when I slip up and say the thing I totally mean.

  • So if we slip up on it, it's it's a pretty big hit for one thing.

  • Maybe he'll slip up, give us something to work with.

    Borderline (2002)

  • Push you over the edge, make you slip up.

    Virtuosity (1995)

  • Well, what if they slip up?

    Meet the Applegates (1990)

  • Remember not to beat yourself up if you slip up a day here and there on your diet.

    Blog text (26)

  • You can't afford to slip up again.

Synonyms

to screw up
vsto slip up
  • Informal
641 6.3

To make a mistake that ruins what you are doing

is a minor careless fault rather than a serious ruin
to mess up
vsto slip up
  • Informal
597 2.8

To make a mistake that causes a problem

is a smaller careless mistake not focused on major damage
to drop the ball
vsto slip up
  • Informal
38 6.1

Fail to do something you are responsible for

is a brief minor mistake, not a failure of duty
to trip up
vsto slip up
27 4.9

Make a mistake or cause someone else to make one

is a self-made careless mistake rather than causing others' errors
to fumble
vsto slip up
19 3.5

To do something clumsily and make a mistake

is a careless minor mistake rather than clumsy handling
to goof
vsto slip up
  • Informal
17 5.6

To make a silly or careless mistake

is a careless minor mistake without playful tone
to foul up
vsto slip up
  • Informal
8 6.4

To make a mistake that ruins something because you are careless

is a small careless error not necessarily causing ruin
to make a boo-boo
vsto slip up
  • Baby Talk
1 8.4

To do something wrong by accident in a small, silly way

is an ordinary minor mistake without childish connotation
to make an oopsy
vsto slip up
  • Informal
8.2

To do something small and silly by accident

is a regular minor mistake without playful wording

How Serious

to blunder
7 4.4
to mess up
  • Informal
597 2.8
to err
50 5.5
to slip up
  • Informal
27 4.1

Surface Forms

slip up infinitive
slipped up past
slipped up past participle
slipping up present participle
slips up third person singular

Morphology

slip + up

The verb 'slip' can already mean 'to make an error', and the particle 'up' here signals a completed or minor occurrence, so the meaning 'to make a careless or minor mistake' is directly derivable from the constituents. This verb + particle compositional pattern is common in English (and has parallels in other languages), so a B1 learner who knows the parts will likely understand the MWE.

Etymology

The phrasal verb slip up comes from the simple image of slip as sliding by accident and up as a sudden wrong move. Imagine stepping on a wet floor, suddenly sliding and making a small mistake, so slip up means 'to make a careless or minor mistake'.