slope
UK: sləʊp | US: sloʊp
n. a surface or piece of land that is inclined or slanting
v. to incline or slant at an angle
The word "slope" originated in the late 16th century, derived from the Middle English verb slopen (to slip or slide away), which itself traces back to Old English slūpan (to glide). The core idea of "slipping" evolved into the modern sense of an inclined surface, reflecting the natural movement of objects sliding downward. The suffix "-e" was added to form both noun and verb forms, preserving the original spelling while adapting to grammatical needs.
The skiers raced down the steep slope.
The garden has a gentle slope toward the river.
The roof slopes at a 30-degree angle for drainage.
She carefully walked up the slippery slope.
The graph shows a sharp slope indicating rapid growth.