phrasal verb · informal
give someone the slip
UK/ɡɪv ˈsʌmwʌn ðə slɪp/US/ɡɪv ˈsʌmwən ðə slɪp/give·some·one·the·SLIP
to escape from someone who is trying to catch or follow you
Examples
“He managed to give the police the slip by hiding in a side street.”
“The celebrity gave the paparazzi the slip and left via a side door.”
“They lost their tail when the bus stopped and they gave the driver the slip.”
Band 8 sentence
“When journalists surrounded his hotel, he quietly gave them the slip and left through a service entrance.”
Collocations
- give the police the slip
- give someone the slip after / during / by + V-ing
Word family
Common mistakes
She slipped the guard→She gave the guard the slip
escape someone→escape from someone / give someone the slip
Say it for a higher band
5escape→6evade→7+give someone the slip
Synonyms
evade
Easily confused
evade
“He evaded the authorities by using a false name.”
Related words
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