- slough
- sloughslough1 [sluf]n.[ME slouh, akin to Ger schlauch, a skin, bag < IE base * sleug̑-, to glide, slip > Latvian sl'užât, to slide]1. the skin of a snake, esp. the outer layer that is periodically cast off2. any castoff layer, covering, etc.: often used figuratively3. Med. a mass of dead tissue in, or separating from, living tissue or an ulcerationvi.[< the n.]1.a) to be shed, cast off, or discarded; come offb) to drop off; become fewer or less2. to shed skin or other covering3. Med. to separate from the surrounding tissue: said of dead tissue: Often with offvt.1. to shed or throw (off) as or like slough; get rid of2. Bridge to get rid of (a card); discard——————slough overto gloss over; minimizesloughyadj.slough2 [slou; ] for 4 [ slo͞o]n.[ME slowe < OE sloh, akin to MLowG slōch, swamp < IE base * sklēk, wet > SLACK3]1. a place, as a hollow, full of soft, deep mud2. [after Slough of Despond, a deep swamp in Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress] deep, hopeless dejection or discouragement3. moral degradation4. a swamp, bog, or marsh, esp. one that is part of an inlet or backwatersloughyadj.
English World dictionary. V. Neufeldt. 2014.