slurred

Everyday

1. Slurred speech is speech where the words run into each other and are hard to understand. tree →
2. (music) Slurred notes are played smoothly joined together, shown by a curved line called a slur. tree →
3. To have slurred someone can mean to have insulted them unfairly (a slur is an insult). tree →

In the lessons

In health and safety lessons, suddenly slurred speech can be a warning sign of a stroke (with a drooping face and a weak arm — call the emergency number at once), or of being very tired, drunk or ill. In music lessons, slurred notes are played legato. In stories, slurred words show a character is sleepy, ill or drunk.

Examples

• His speech was slurred because he was so sleepy. tree →
• Slurred speech can be a sign of a stroke, so call an ambulance. tree →
• The drunk man slurred his words. tree →
• Play these two notes slurred, without a gap. tree →
• She slurred "goodnight" as she fell asleep. tree →
• The curved line means the notes are slurred. tree →
• After the dentist's injection, my words were slurred for an hour. tree →

Note

Double r: slur → slurred, slurring. Emergency numbers: 999 (UK, Ireland also 112), 911 (USA, Canada), 000 (Australia), 111 (New Zealand). A "slur" (noun) can also be a nasty insult about a group of people.