Slave  —n. 1 person who is owned by and has to serve another. 2 drudge, hard worker. 3 (foll. By of, to) obsessive devotee (slave of fashion). 4 machine, or part of one, directly controlled by another. —v. (-ving) (often foll. By at, over) work very hard. [french esclave from latin sclavus *slav (captive)]