slough

noun (1)

\ ˈslü

, ˈslau̇; in the US (except in New England) ˈslü is usual for sense 1 with those to whom the sense is familiar; British usually ˈslau̇ for both senses \

Definition of slough

(Entry 1 of 4)

1a : a place of deep mud or mire

b or less commonly slew or slue \ ˈslü

(1) : swamp

(2) : an inlet on a river also : backwater

(3) : a creek in a marsh or tide flat

2 : a state of moral degradation or spiritual dejection

slough

verb (1)

sloughed; sloughing; sloughs

Definition of slough (Entry 2 of 4)

transitive verb

: to engulf in a slough

intransitive verb

: to plod through or as if through mud : slog

slough

noun (2)

\ ˈsləf

variants: or less commonly sluff

Definition of slough (Entry 3 of 4)

1 : the cast-off skin of a snake

2 : a mass of dead tissue separating from an ulcer

3 : something that may be shed or cast off

slough

verb (2)

\ ˈsləf

variants: or less commonly sluff

sloughed also sluffed; sloughing also sluffing; sloughs also sluffs

Definition of slough (Entry 4 of 4)

intransitive verb

1a : to become shed or cast off

b : to cast off one's skin

c : to separate in the form of dead tissue from living tissue

2 : to crumble slowly and fall away

transitive verb

1 : to cast off

2a : to get rid of or discard as irksome, objectionable, or disadvantageous —usually used with off

b : to dispose of (a losing card in bridge) by discarding

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Choose the Right Synonym for slough

Verb (2)

discard, cast, shed, slough, scrap, junk mean to get rid of. discard implies the letting go or throwing away of something that has become useless or superfluous though often not intrinsically valueless. discard old clothes cast, especially when used with off, away, or out, implies a forceful rejection or repudiation. cast off her friends shed and slough imply a throwing off of something both useless and encumbering and often suggest a consequent renewal of vitality or luster. shed a bad habit finally sloughed off the depression scrap and junk imply throwing away or breaking up as worthless in existent form. scrap all the old ways would junk our educational system

Did you know?

There are two verbs spelled slough in English, as well as two nouns, and both sets have different pronunciations. The first noun, referring to a swamp or a discouraged state of mind, is pronounced to rhyme with either blue or cow. Its related verb, which can mean "to plod through mud," has the same pronunciation. The second noun, pronounced to rhyme with cuff, refers to the shed skin of a snake (as well as anything else that has been cast off). Its related verb describes the action of shedding or eliminating something, just like a snake sheds its skin. This slough comes from Middle English slughe and is related to slūch, a Middle High German word meaning "snakeskin."