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slimy substance

slimy substance

4.5
A wet, slippery material that feels thick and makes things slide
  • noun
translation icon : sustancia viscosa
  • There are other sensations: friction and sliding and a thick fluid filling her, so that she looks down and sees a black, slimy substance flowing out of her.

Examples

  • After the storm, a slimy substance coated the rocks along the shoreline, making them slippery.

  • The fisherman pulled his net from the water, revealing a slimy substance covering the fish.

  • He couldn't stand the feel of the slimy substance oozing from the old container.

Synonyms

slime
vsslimy substance
85 1.8

A thick slippery substance that feels wet and sticky

is moist or oily in texture rather than only thick and sticky
goo
vsslimy substance
59 3.0

A thick sticky substance that is soft and wet

is specifically moist or oily and often slippery rather than just sticky
sludge
vsslimy substance
30 4.8

A thick, wet, muddy substance that comes from dirty water

is watery and oily rather than thick muddy waste
gunk
vsslimy substance
15 4.6

Thick sticky stuff that is dirty or unpleasant

is wet and oily in feel rather than primarily dirty residue
goop
vsslimy substance
10 7.5

A thick sticky substance that is often messy

is more about wet oily texture than general messiness
guck
vsslimy substance
  • Informal
1 9.5

A thick sticky substance that looks dirty and unpleasant

is described by moist oily texture rather than general messiness
slimeball
vsslimy substance
1 7.9

A small soft lump of sticky, wet material

is the general wet slippery substance rather than a small lump
sticky goop
vsslimy substance
  • Informal
1 5.4

A thick glue-like substance that clings to things and makes a mess

is slippery and wet rather than mainly adhesive and sticky
oily mess
vsslimy substance
1 3.7

A dirty, greasy stain or spill that is hard to clean

is slippery and viscous rather than mainly greasy dirt

Antonyms

dry
791 1.0

Not wet or without any liquid

325 1.0

Firm and hard so it keeps its shape, not liquid

How Viscous

sludge
30 4.8
goo
59 3.0
slimy substance
4.5
gunk
15 4.6
grease
127 1.8
oil
1.0

Surface Forms

Morphology

slimy + substance

The meaning is directly and transparently derived from combining 'slimy' (wet, sticky, slippery) with 'substance' (material); an average B1 learner who knows both words can compose the phrase's meaning. This adjective+noun compositional pattern is common and cross-linguistically regular, so the MWE is immediately comprehensible from its parts.

Etymology

Slimy substance comes from two simple words, slimy and substance. Imagine touching cold, sticky goo that makes your fingers slide; that picture shows why the phrase means 'a wet', 'slippery', and often 'unpleasant' material.