slough

slough
slough
slough1 [sluf]
n.
[ME slouh, akin to Ger schlauch, a skin, bag < IE base * sleu-, to glide, slip > Latvian sl'užât, to slide]
1. the skin of a snake, esp. the outer layer that is periodically cast off
2. any castoff layer, covering, etc.: often used figuratively
3. Med. a mass of dead tissue in, or separating from, living tissue or an ulceration
vi.
[< the n.]
1.
a) to be shed, cast off, or discarded; come off
b) to drop off; become fewer or less
2. to shed skin or other covering
3. Med. to separate from the surrounding tissue: said of dead tissue: Often with off
vt.
1. to shed or throw (off) as or like slough; get rid of
2. Bridge to get rid of (a card); discard
——————
slough over
to gloss over; minimize
sloughy
adj.
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 mud
2. [after Slough of Despond, a deep swamp in Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress] deep, hopeless dejection or discouragement
3. moral degradation
4. a swamp, bog, or marsh, esp. one that is part of an inlet or backwater
sloughy
adj.

English World dictionary. . 2014.

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  • Slough — …   Wikipedia Español

  • Slough — Slough, n. [OE. slogh, slough, AS. sl[=o]h a hollow place; cf. MHG. sl[=u]ch an abyss, gullet, G. schlucken to swallow; also Gael. & Ir. sloc a pit, pool. ditch, Ir. slug to swallow. Gr. ????? to hiccough, to sob.] 1. A place of deep mud or mire; …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Slough — Slough …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Slough — Slough, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Sloughed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Sloughing}.] (Med.) To form a slough; to separate in the form of dead matter from the living tissues; often used with off, or away; as, a sloughing ulcer; the dead tissues slough off slowly …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • slough|y — slough|y1 «SLOW ee», adjective, slough|i|er, slough|i|est. soft and muddy; full of soft, deep mud; miry: »sloughy creeks. slough|y2 «SLUHF ee», adjective. of dead skin; covered with dead skin or tissue …   Useful english dictionary

  • Slough — Slough, v. t. To cast off; to discard as refuse. [1913 Webster] New tint the plumage of the birds, And slough decay from grazing herds. Emerson. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Slough — Slough, obs. imp. of {Slee}, to slay. Slew. Chaucer. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Slough — Slough, n. [OE. slugh, slouh; cf. MHG. sl?ch the skin of a serpent, G. schlauch a skin, a leather bag or bottle.] 1. The skin, commonly the cast off skin, of a serpent or of some similar animal. [1913 Webster] 2. (Med.) The dead mass separating… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Slough — Slough, a. Slow. [Obs.] Chaucer. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • slough — Ⅰ. slough [1] ► NOUN 1) a swamp. 2) a situation characterized by lack of progress or activity. DERIVATIVES sloughy adjective. ORIGIN Old English. Ⅱ. slough …   English terms dictionary

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