slowly

Everyday

1. At a low speed, not fast: "Walk slowly." tree →
2. Over a long time, bit by bit: "The ice slowly melted." tree →

In the lessons

In science, slowly describes slow change (rocks wear away slowly, plants grow slowly). In safety: walk slowly near pools and on wet floors; drive slowly near schools; eat slowly and chew well. Phrases: slowly but surely, slowly and carefully.

Examples

• The tortoise walked slowly. tree →
• Read the question slowly. tree →
• The snail moved slowly across the leaf. tree →
• Walk slowly on the wet floor. tree →
• Rocks wear away slowly. tree →
• Chew your food slowly. tree →
• Slowly, the sun went down. tree →
• Back away slowly from a strange dog. tree →
• The two women walked very slowly. tree →

Note

"Slowly" describes how something is done; "slow" describes a thing: "a slow car drives slowly". Opposite: quickly. "Go slow" is also used informally.