slew

Meanings

Noun

• The act, or process of slewing.
• A device used for slewing.
• A change of position.
• A wet place; a river inlet.
• A large amount.

Verb

• To rotate or turn something about its axis.
• To veer a vehicle.
• To insert extra ticks or skip some ticks of a clock to slowly correct its time.
• To pivot.
• To skid.
• to move something (usually a railway line) sideways
• To make a public mockery of someone through insult or wit.
• Past of slay

Origin

• In all senses, a mostly British spelling of slue.
• Compare slough.
• Ablaut of slay, from Middle English slew, sleugh, past of Middle English sleen.
• Replaced earlier Middle English slough, slogh, from Old English slōg (past of Old English slēan), due to the influence of knew, drew, etc. More at slay.
• Borrowed from Irish slua ("crowd"), from Old Irish slúag, slóg, from Proto-Celtic *slougos ("troop, army"), from Proto-Indo-European *slowgʰos, *slowgos.