Meaning & use
slip of a girl
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Meanings
phrasefixed phraseinformal
A girl who is small, thin, and looks young and delicate.
Grammar: Used like a noun phrase after 'a': 'a slip of a girl'. It describes one person, so the verb is singular.
Patterns
- a slip of a girl
- be a slip of a girl
- such a slip of a girl
A slip of a girl came to the door and asked whether we needed any help.
He was surprised that such a slip of a girl could carry the heavy box on her own.
She was only a slip of a girl when she left home to study in the city.
phrasefixed phraseinformalfigurative
Used about a young woman to stress that she seems too small or young for something difficult.
Grammar: Often follows words like 'only' or 'just' to add surprise: 'only a slip of a girl'.
Patterns
- only a slip of a girl
- just a slip of a girl
- a slip of a girl like someone
People said she was only a slip of a girl, but she ran the whole farm by herself.
He did not expect a slip of a girl like her to argue with the manager.
They thought a slip of a girl could never lead the team, and they were wrong.
Common combinations
- a slip of a girl
- A slip of a girl stood at the gate, waiting for her brother.
- only a slip of a girl
- She was only a slip of a girl, yet she spoke with great confidence.
- just a slip of a girl
- He treated her as just a slip of a girl, which annoyed her.
- such a slip of a girl
- I never imagined such a slip of a girl would win the race.
Synonyms and how they differ
- slip of a thing
- A similar fixed phrase, but it can describe a small person or animal of any age, not only a girl.
- waif
- This means a thin, poorly dressed young person and suggests sadness or neglect, while 'a slip of a girl' is usually neutral or fond.
- slender
- This is an adjective for a thin body shape; it describes the person rather than naming her, so it cannot replace the whole phrase.
Commonly confused: slip of a girl or slip? slip of a girl or sleep?
slip of a girl vs slip
As a noun, 'slip' usually means a small mistake, a piece of paper, or a piece of women's clothing. The phrase 'a slip of a girl' is a separate fixed expression and does not mean a mistake.
slip of a girl vs sleep
'Sleep' sounds similar but means to rest with your eyes closed. Do not write 'a sleep of a girl'; the correct word in this phrase is 'slip'.
Practice
Which sentence uses the phrase correctly?
Choose one answer.
The fixed phrase needs both articles: 'a slip of a girl'. Option 1 drops the second 'a', option 2 drops 'of', and option 3 moves the words into an order that is never used.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “slip of a girl”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.