slew
1,
also slue
(slōō)
[Irish Gaelic sluagh, multitude, from Old Irish slúag.]
noun
Informal- A large amount or number; a lot: a slew of unpaid bills.
slew
2 (slōō)
verb
- Past tense of slay
slew
3 (slōō)
noun
- Variant of slough1
slew
4 (slōō)
verb noun
- Variant of slue1
slay
(slā)
[Middle English slen, slayen, from Old English slēan.]
transitive verb: slew (slōō), slain (slān), slay·ing, slays.
- To kill violently.
- Slang To overwhelm, as with laughter or love: Those old jokes still slay me.
derivatives
- slaýer
- noun
slough
1 (slōō, slou)
,
also slew
(slōō)
[Middle English, from Old English slōh.]
noun
- A depression or hollow, usually filled with deep mud or mire.
- A stagnant swamp, marsh, bog, or pond, especially as part of a bayou, inlet, or backwater.
- A state of deep despair or moral degradation.
derivatives
- slough́y
- adjective
slue
1,
also slew
(slōō)
[Origin unknown.]
verb: slued, also slewed, slu·ing, slew·ing, slues, slews
transitive verb
- To turn (something) on an axis; rotate: slued the swivel chair around; sluing the boom of a crane.
- To turn sharply; veer: braked and slued the car around.
intransitive verb
- To turn about an axis; pivot.
- To turn or slide sideways or off course; skid.
noun
- The act of sluing.
- The position to which something has slued.