n.
- historical a person who is the legal property of another and is forced to obey them.
▸a person who is excessively dependent upon or controlled by something:
a slave to fashion.
- a device, or part of one, directly controlled by another. Compare with master1.
v.
- work excessively hard.
-
[as noun slaving]
historical the action or process of enslaving people.
- subject (a device) to control by another.
Etymology
ME: shortening of OFr. esclave, equivalent of med. L. sclava (fem.) ‘Slavonic (captive)’.