slue

or slew

[sloo]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR slue ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), slued, slu·ing.

to turn (a mast or other spar) around on its own axis, or without removing it from its place.

to swing around.

verb (used without object), slued, slu·ing.

to turn about; swing around.

noun

the act of sluing.

a position slued to.

Origin of slue

First recorded in 1760–70; origin uncertain

slue

[sloo]

noun Informal.

slew².

slue

[sloo]

noun

slough¹(def 3).

slew

or slue

[sloo]

noun Informal.

a large number or quantity: a whole slew of people.

Origin of slew

1830–40, Americanism; < Irish sluagh crowd, throng, army, host

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for slue

swerve, glide, drift, slip, veer, deflect, stray, skid, lurch, decline, plummet, recede, tumble, sag, slump, spiral, reach, plunge, sink, fall

Examples from the Web for slue

Historical Examples of slue

In which towne he slue the bishop, bicause he was a Burgognian.
Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland (3 of 6): England (3 of 9)
Raphael Holinshed
"You don't need to say anything about this to Slue Foot," cautioned the boy.
Connie Morgan in the Lumber Camps
James B. Hendryx
It was Slue Foot, and he brought 'em a grub stake and some blankets.
Connie Morgan in the Lumber Camps
James B. Hendryx
We want to make as good a showin' as we kin this year, Slue Foot.
Connie Morgan in the Lumber Camps
James B. Hendryx
The man that's doing the double crossing is Slue Foot Magee.
Connie Morgan in the Lumber Camps
James B. Hendryx

British Dictionary definitions for slue

slue

noun, verb

a variant spelling (esp US) of slew 2

slue

noun

a variant spelling of slough 1 (def. 2)

slue

noun

US informal a variant spelling of slew 4

slew

verb

the past tense of slay

slew

esp US slue

verb

to twist or be twisted sideways, esp awkwardlyhe slewed around in his chair

nautical to cause (a mast) to rotate in its step or (of a mast) to rotate in its step

noun

the act of slewing

Word Origin for slew

C18: of unknown origin

slew

noun

a variant spelling (esp US) of slough 1 (def. 2)

slew

⁴

slue

noun

informal, mainly US and Canadian a great number or amount; a lot

Word Origin for slew

C20: from Irish Gaelic sluagh; related to Old Irish slōg army

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for slue

slew

n.1

"swampy place," 1708, North American variant of slough.

slew

"to turn, swing, twist," 1834, earlier slue (1769), a nautical word, of unknown origin. Slewed (1801) is old nautical slang for "drunk." Slew-foot "clumsy person who walks with feet turned out" is from 1896.

slew

n.2

"large number," 1839, from Irish sluagh "a host, crowd, multitude," from Celtic and Balto-Slavic *sloug- "help, service" (see slogan).