Slippery vs Ambiguous - What's the difference?
slippery | ambiguous |
Of a surface, having low friction, often due to being covered in a non-viscous liquid, and therefore hard to grip, hard to stand on without falling, etc.
(figuratively, by extension) Evasive; difficult to pin down.
(obsolete) Liable to slip; not standing firm.
* 1602 , , III. iii. 84:
unstable; changeable; inconstant
* Denham
(obsolete) wanton; unchaste; loose in morals
* 1610 , , I. ii. 273:
Open to multiple interpretations.
Vague and unclear.
(obsolete, of persons) Hesitant; uncertain; not taking sides.
* 1662 (Thomas Salusbury)
As adjectives the difference between slippery and ambiguous
is that slippery is of a surface, having low friction, often due to being covered in a non-viscous liquid, and therefore hard to grip, hard to stand on without falling, etc while ambiguous is open to multiple interpretations.slippery
English
Adjective
(er)- Oily substances render things slippery .
- a slippery person
- a slippery promise
- Which when they fall, as being slippery' standers, / The love that leaned on them, as ' slippery too, / Do one pluck down another, and together / Die in the fall.
- The slippery state of kings.
- My wife is slippery ? If thou wilt confess –
Derived terms
* slippery as an eel * slippery elm * slippery nipple * slippery slopeSynonyms
* (of a surface) greasy, slick, slimy, slippy, wetAntonyms
* (of a surface) stickyambiguous
English
Adjective
(en adjective)- The politician was criticized for his ambiguous statements and lack of precision.
- He gave an ambiguous answer.
- And forasmuch as in this same question I am ambiguous , and Simplicius is resolute....