sliver
C1Neutral, slightly formal in some contexts. Common in descriptive writing and journalism.
Definition
Meaning
A thin, sharp piece of something that has been broken, cut, or torn off.
A very small, narrow portion of something, often abstract (e.g., time, chance); a splinter.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Inherently implies thinness and a degree of sharpness or awkwardness. Often carries a nuance of being an unwanted or accidental fragment, except in contexts like 'a sliver of hope'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major differences in core meaning or usage. The verb form ('to sliver') is very rare in both, but slightly more attested in technical/AmE contexts.
Connotations
Identical. Connotes fragility, smallness, and potential hazard (if physical).
Frequency
Comparable frequency in both varieties. Slightly more common in AmE food writing (e.g., 'sliver of almond').
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[N] of [N]a [ADJ] sliverVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A sliver of hope/doubt/truth”
- “Not a sliver of evidence”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. 'The company held only a sliver of the market share.'
Academic
Descriptive, often in science/history. 'A sliver of bone was retrieved for carbon dating.'
Everyday
Common for physical objects and metaphors. 'I've got a sliver in my finger.' / 'There's a sliver of cake left.'
Technical
Used in woodworking, manufacturing (e.g., metal slivers), and computing (e.g., memory sliver).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The old timber began to sliver and splinter.
- Careful, that glass could sliver into dangerous fragments.
American English
- The machinist warned that the metal could sliver off if the lathe speed is too high.
- He slivered the cedar for the craft project.
adverb
British English
- (No standard adverbial form)
American English
- (No standard adverbial form)
adjective
British English
- (Rare, usually 'slivered') - 'Add the slivered almonds to the mixture.'
American English
- (Rare, usually 'slivered') - 'The recipe calls for slivered almonds, not whole ones.'
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Ouch! I have a sliver in my finger.
- The moon was a thin sliver in the sky.
- She cut a small sliver of cheese for her cracker.
- A sliver of light came through the closed curtains.
- Archaeologists found a sliver of pottery that changed the site's dating.
- Despite the bad news, he clung to a sliver of hope.
- The critic's argument was undermined by a sliver of doubt in her own conclusion.
- The ruling party retained only a sliver of its former majority.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
SLIVER sounds like SLIVER of LIVER – imagine a very thin, delicate slice of liver.
Conceptual Metaphor
SMALL AMOUNTS ARE THIN, SHARP OBJECTS (e.g., a sliver of hope, a sliver of doubt).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'silver' (серебро).
- Not equivalent to 'slice' (ломтик), which is usually thicker and intentional.
- Closer to 'щепка', 'осколок', 'заноза' depending on context.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'sliver' (correct) vs. 'sliver' (incorrect).
- Using 'sliver' to mean a large piece.
- Confusing 'sliver' (noun) with 'silver' (metal/colour).
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'sliver' used metaphorically?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Mostly, yes. Even in metaphors ('sliver of hope'), it carries a sense of being thin, fragile, and potentially precarious.
A 'slice' is usually cut intentionally and can be thick (a slice of bread). A 'sliver' is typically very thin, often accidental or a broken-off fragment, and implies smallness.
Yes, but it's uncommon. It means to cut or break into slivers. The adjective 'slivered' (as in almonds) is more frequently encountered.
Neutral, but context-dependent. Physically, it's often negative (a painful splinter). Metaphorically, it can be positive ('sliver of hope') or negative ('sliver of doubt').