To slather means to spread something thickly and generously, usually without worrying about being neat or precise. When you slather peanut butter on bread, you're not dabbing on a thin, careful layer, you're spreading it on thick and heavy, edge to edge. You might slather sunscreen on your shoulders before swimming, slather frosting on a cake, or slather mud on your face for a spa treatment.

The word suggests abundance and enthusiasm. You don't slather just a little bit of something: you use plenty of it, coating the surface completely. A baker might slather butter on hot rolls fresh from the oven. After a long hike, you might slather lotion on your tired legs.

Slather has a casual, satisfying feeling to it. It's the sound of generosity and comfort, like when your dad slathers ketchup on his burger or your grandmother slathers honey on her biscuit. The word itself almost sounds thick and gloppy, matching perfectly with what it describes.