Pronounce indistinctly (4) Crossword Clue
Answer: SLUR (4 letters)
The answer to the crossword clue "Pronounce indistinctly" with 4 letters is "SLUR".Slur means to pronounce words indistinctly or unclearly, often blending sounds together, making them difficult to understand. It can also refer to speaking in a way that lacks clarity, whether due to speed, laziness, or intoxication.
Why “Slur” Fits
The clue asks for a single word (4 letters) meaning “pronounce indistinctly.” The answer, SLUR, fits perfectly:
Pronounce indistinctly: Slur means to speak or pronounce words in a manner that is unclear, blurred, or careless — directly matching the clue’s definition.
Direct match: With four letters, slur fits the enumeration exactly.
Precise meaning: The word captures the act of blurring syllables or running words together so that the speech becomes difficult to understand — essentially “indistinct pronunciation.”
The word slur has both linguistic and figurative meanings that have evolved over centuries:
- Origin and usage: From Middle English slaren or slyren (“to slide or smear”), slur originally conveyed the idea of smearing or blurring an appearance or sound. By the 18th century, it adopted the meaning of “speaking indistinctly.”
Contexts:
- Speech: “He tends to slur his words when he’s tired.”
- Music: In notation, a slur indicates that notes should be played smoothly and connectedly.
- Figurative (negative connotation): “That remark was a slur on his reputation.”
Examples:
- “She slurred her words after staying up all night.”
- “The singer was told not to slur her phrasing during the performance.”
- “His comment cast an unfair slur on their integrity.”
In quick crosswords like “Pronounce indistinctly (4),” clues often rely on clear, direct definitions:
- Definition-only clue: “Pronounce indistinctly” succinctly defines what it means to slur without extra wordplay.
- Alternative possible answers like drawl or murmur may fit contextually but differ in letter count or nuance — drawl stretches vowels, while slur merges syllables and blurs clarity.
- The short enumeration (4) points to compact, common verbs used frequently in both everyday speech and crosswords—making slur the exact fit.
