slew

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sluː/ (or IPA^(key): /sljuː/ in some regions)
• Rhymes: -uː

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Irish slua (“crowd”), from Old Irish slúag, slóg, from Proto-Celtic *slougos (“troop, army”), from Proto-Indo-European *slowgʰos, *slowgos (“entourage”).

Noun

slew (plural slews)

1. (US) A large amount.

   She has a slew of papers and notebooks strewn all over her desk.

Translations

a large amount

• Catalan: munt (ca) m, tou (ca) m
• Dutch: een groot aantal
• Portuguese: amontoado (pt) m, montão (pt)

• Russian: ма́сса (ru) f (mássa)
• Spanish: montón (es) m
• Swedish: massa (sv) c, mängd (sv) c

See also

• onslaught

Etymology 2

In all senses, a mostly British spelling of slue.

Noun

slew (plural slews)

1. The act, or process of slaying.
2. A device used for slaying.
3. A change of position.

Translations

the act, or process of slaying

• Dutch: slachtpartij (nl)

• Spanish: asesinato (es) m

device used for slaying

• Dutch: moordwapen (nl)

• Spanish: arma (es) f

change of position

• Dutch: ommekeer (nl)

Verb

slew (third-person singular simple present slews, present participle slewing, simple past and past participle slewed)

1. (transitive, nautical) To rotate or turn something about its axis.
2. (transitive) To veer a vehicle.
3. (transitive) To insert extra ticks or skip some ticks of a clock to slowly correct its time.
4. (intransitive) To pivot.
5. (intransitive) To skid.
6. (transitive, rail transport) to move something (usually a railway line) sideways

   The single line was slewed onto the disused up formation to make way for the future redoubling.

7. (transitive, Britain, slang) To make a public mockery of someone through insult or wit.

Translations

to rotate or turn something about its axis

• Dutch: omkeren (nl), draaien (nl)

to veer a vehicle

• Dutch: zwenken (nl)

To insert extra ticks or skip some ticks of a clock to slowly correct its time

• Dutch: instellen (nl), regelen (nl)

to pivot

• Dutch: omwentelen (nl), draaien (nl)

to skid

• Dutch: schuiven (nl), slippen (nl)

to move something (usually a railway line) sideways

• Dutch: verschuiven (nl)

to make a public mockery of someone through insult or wit

• Dutch: iemand te kakken zetten

Etymology 3

Verb

slew

1. simple past tense of slay

See also

• slain

Etymology 4

Compare slough.

Noun

slew (plural slews)

1. A wet place; a river inlet.
   • Theodore Roosevelt

     The prairie round about is wet, at times almost marshy, especially at the borders of the great reedy slews.

Anagrams

• lews, wels