a. 1. That slides or slips; gliding; moving smoothly. [ 1913 Webster ]
2. Slippery; elusory. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]
That sliding science hath me made so bare. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]
Sliding friction (Mech.), the resistance one body meets with in sliding along the surface of another, as distinguished from rolling friction. -- Sliding gunter (Naut.), a topmast arranged with metallic fittings so as to be hoisted and lowered by means of halyards. -- Sliding keel (Naut), a movable keel, similar to a centeboard. -- Sliding pair. (Mech.) See the Note under Pair, n., 7. -- Sliding rule. Same as Slide rule, under Slide, n. -- Sliding scale. (a)A scale for raising or lowering imposts in proportion to the fall or rise of prices. (b)A variable scale of wages or of prices. (c)A slide rule. -- Sliding ways (Naut.), the timber guides used in launching a vessel. [ 1913 Webster ]