From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishslopeslope1 /sləʊp $ sloʊp/ ●●○ W3 noun 1 [countable]DNHORIZONTAL a piece of ground or a surface that slopes a steep slope a gentle (=not steep) slope She looked back up the grassy slope.2 an area of steep ground covered with snow that people ski down We got to Tahoe on Friday, and hit the slopes (=skied on them) the next day.3 [singular]HORIZONTAL the angle at which something slopes in relation to a flat surface a slope of 30 degreesCOLLOCATIONSadjectivesa steep slopeI struggled to keep from slipping on the steep slope.a gentle slope (=not steep)We went down a long gentle slope.a long slopeThe street led up a long slope.a grassy slopeThe children had fun rolling down a grassy slope.a wooded slopeThe valley has wooded slopes.a rocky slopeThe farmhouse is situated on a rocky slope.a downward/downhill slopeShe strode down the long downhill slope which led towards her home.an uphill slopeIt is harder to land on an uphill slope.the lower/upper slopes of somethingIt was misty and only the lower slopes of Vesuvius could be seen.the eastern/northern etc slopes of somethingVines are grown on the eastern slopes of Mont Bernon.
Examples from the Corpus
slope• a 30° slope• the beginner slopes• Finally I left the car by the side of the road and we walked down a brushy slope.• Proceed down slope in second field to stile ahead.• Its steep sides are thronged with Goblin strongholds and its rocky slopes overlay caves and tunnels that are riddled with evil creatures.• Men and women are segregated on the beaches and even the ski slopes.• The car rolled down the slope into the lake.• Further up, they came on hardwood forest and the angle of the slope grew gentler.• He pressed up close, his hand resting on the slope of her thigh.• The slope added impetus to his speed.• The slopes are less crowded and, more importantly, there are no lift lines.gentle ... slope• The house is at 620 feet above sea level and the farm is on a gentle east-facing slope.• In the hummocky terrain of the valley floor the hollows, channels and gentle slopes are occupied by peat.• Although this is not a beginner's resort, it's easy to escape to the more gentle slopes of Lech.• The community typically occurs on peaty soils on gentle slopes or plateaus at higher altitudes.• On gentle slopes it's easy to place the foot with the sole flat; your bodyweight will then secure the points.• It looked perfect - gentle slopes within a semi circular bowl of hills.• The ponies were growing restless, and she shook the reins and sent them on down the gentle slope towards the house.hit the slopes• The next day we hit the slopes.slopeslope2 verb [intransitive] HORIZONTALif the ground or a surface slopes, it is higher at one end than the otherslope up/down/away etc a pleasant garden that slopes down to the river → slope off→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
slope• It had a long entrance passage sloping down from the east.• The garden sloped down gradually towards the sea.• The tunnel sloped downward, and when they emerged from it they halted.• Colberg drew his sabre slowly and held it sloped on his shoulder.• a sloping tile roof• About to kiss, they slope together, crooked gothic type, with whistling mouths pushed out like daffodils.• The woods on the other side slope up toward the spruce and then the bare ledge summit of Mount Bald.• Tilt the board so that it is sloping upwards away from you.slope up/down/away etc• The roof sloped away alarmingly and, for a moment, Craig almost lost his balance.• It can be seen that the graph slopes up and although an exact relationship does not exist, a systematic ones does.• It had a long entrance passage sloping down from the east.• The green was hard and sloped away from the fairway.• Its head was down and its back sloped up into a kind of point at the rear.• Venting an attic is difficult if the roof is hipped; that is, sloping down on all four sides.• It sloped down slightly for about fifty feet.• River valleys and railway lines are usually fairly level, with the ground sloping down to the rivers.Origin slope2 (1500-1600) Probably from aslope “in a sloping position” ((14-21 centuries)), probably from Old English aslopen, past participle of aslupan “to slip away” 