# slew

Pronunciation: say "SLOO" US /slu/, UK/AUS /sl(j)uː/

## Noun

1. A large number or amount of something.
   - Simple: A very large number or amount of things.
   - _The announcement triggered a slew of complaints from customers._
   - _She published a slew of papers during her time at the lab._
2. A big crowd, or simply a great many people.
   - Simple: A big crowd or large group of people.
   - _A slew of reporters gathered outside the courthouse._
   - _The festival drew a slew of visitors from across the country._
8. A change of position, especially one produced by turning.
   - Simple: A turn or shift to a new position.
   - _A sharp slew of the wheel sent the car onto the shoulder._
   - _The radar's slew brought the antenna to a new heading._
9. The act or process of rotating or turning something about its axis.
   - Simple: The act of turning something around its center.
   - _The slew of the turret was smooth and nearly silent._
   - _Engineers timed the slew of the antenna precisely._
10. A device or mechanism used to rotate something about its axis.
   - Simple: A part or tool that turns something around.
   - _The crane's slew failed, leaving the boom stuck in place._
   - _Mechanics greased the slew so the turret could rotate freely._
12. A marshy or swampy spot, or an inlet branching off a river.
   - Simple: A wet, muddy area of ground, or a small river inlet.
   - _The hunters set their decoys at the edge of the slew._
   - _A narrow slew connected the marsh to the main river._

## Verb

3. Past tense of slay. — simple past of slay
   - Simple: Past tense of slay. Use this form when talking about killing that happened earlier.
   - _The hero slew his enemies on the battlefield._
   - _A great warrior slew the beast that terrorized the village._
4. To slide sideways in an uncontrolled skid.
   - Simple: To slide sideways without control, like on ice.
   - _The bike will slew if you brake too hard on gravel._
   - _The trailer slewed across two lanes before the driver regained control._
5. To cause a vehicle to veer sharply to one side.
   - Simple: To make a vehicle turn sharply to one side.
   - _The driver slewed the van around the obstacle at the last moment._
   - _Pilots can slew the nose of the aircraft using the rudder._
6. To turn or pivot around a fixed point.
   - Simple: To turn around a fixed central point.
   - _Heavy cranes slew slowly to keep their loads steady._
   - _The platform slewed around until it faced the dock._
7. To change the direction something faces by rotating it about its axis.
   - Simple: To turn something around so it faces a different way.
   - _The crew slewed the cannon to bear on the approaching ship._
   - _Operators slew the radar dish to scan the horizon._
11. To move something, usually a railway line, sideways to a new position.
   - Simple: To move something, often a railway track, sideways into a new spot.
   - _Engineers slewed the line to make room for the new station._
   - _Workers will slew the track sideways once the embankment settles._
13. To gradually correct a clock's time by adding extra ticks or skipping some.
   - Simple: To slowly fix a clock's time by adding or skipping tiny ticks.
   - _Administrators slew the server clock gradually to avoid sudden jumps in time._
   - _The daemon slewed the local clock until it matched the reference._
14. To publicly mock someone with insults or sharp wit. *(slang, British)*
   - Simple: To make fun of someone openly with clever or cutting insults.
   - _The host slewed his guest with a string of brutal one-liners._
   - _Critics will slew the film for its lazy plot._

## Origin

**Meanings 4–11, 13–14** — In all its senses, this is a mostly British spelling of "slue".
**Meaning 12** — Attested since at least 1708, this is a North American variant of "slough"; compare "slue" meaning a wet or swampy place.
**Meaning 3** — This is an ablaut form of "slay", from Middle English "slew", "sleugh", the past tense of "sleen". It replaced an earlier Middle English "slough", "slogh" (from Old English "slōg", past of "slēan" meaning to hit, strike, or slay), under the influence of words like "knew" and "drew".
**Meanings 1–2** — Borrowed from Irish "slua" and Scottish Gaelic "sluagh" ("crowd"), from Middle Irish "slúag", from Old Irish "slóg", from Proto-Celtic *slougos ("troop, army"), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *slowgʰos ("entourage").

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/slew (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).