slum

Universal Words noun, verb noun an area of a city that is very poor and where the houses are dirty and in bad condition: a slum area / district * city / urban slums * She was brought up in the slums of London. * slum clearance schemes * a plan to rehouse slum dwellers verb (-mm-) [V] (usually be slumming) (informal) to spend time in places or conditions that are much worse than those you are used to: There are plenty of ways you can cut costs on your trip without slumming. IDIOMS slum it to accept conditions that are worse than those you are used to: Several businessmen had to slum it in economy class.