▪ I. slitter, n.
(ˈslɪtə(r))
[f. slit v. + -er1.]
One who, or that which, slits; spec. as the name of various implements.
| 1611 Cotgr., Tailleur, a cutter, slitter, hewer. 1862 Mrs. H. Wood Mrs. Hallib. xxv, The slitters slit the four fingers, and shaped the thumbs and forgits. 1865 Bauerman Catal. Mining Models 21 Pick (Slitter), a double-armed pick,..used for slitting out the vein. 1875 Knight Dict. Mech., Slitter, a machine for shearing up sheet-iron into slips for nail-rods, etc. 1895 G. E. Davis Pract. Microscopy (ed. 3) 280 The slitter is a thin wrought-iron disc about 11 inches in diameter,..and when used its edge is charged with diamond dust. |
▪ II. † ˈslitter, v.1 Obs. rare.
Also 4 slyter.
[A frequentative from slit v.]
trans. To cut (a garment) with ornamental slits. Hence ˈslittered ppl. a., wearing clothes so ornamented.
| ? a 1366 Chaucer Rom. Rose 840 Wrought was his robe in straunge gise, And al to-slytered for queyntise. c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 121 Þei wasten hem in..pelure & costelewe cloþis & proude slitterede squyerys & haukis & hondis. |
▪ III. ˈslitter, v.2 Now dial.
Also 4 scliter.
[Obscurely related to slidder v. and slither v.]
intr. To slide, slip, glide.
| a 1400 [see slithering vbl. n.]. 1825– in dialect use (see Eng. Dial. Dict.). |