slough

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