English word origin

Etymology of slew

In all senses, a mostly British spelling of slue.

4 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗

In this entry · 4 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗

noun

The act, or process of slewing. · A device used for slewing. · A change of position. · A lateral swaying or tendency to sway.

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.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

In all senses, a mostly British spelling of slue.

This page abbreviates 3 auxiliary source items. The etymology narrative is not shortened. Omission counts are available in the audit fields below; consult the original for complete auxiliary material.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "The act, or process of slewing.",
        "A device used for slewing.",
        "A change of position.",
        "A lateral swaying or tendency to sway."
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        "To pivot."
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Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗

noun

Alternative spelling of slough (“a marshy or swampy place”) (reflecting the alternative pronunciation).

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Attested since at least 1708, a North American variant of slough.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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Source etymology 3

Original entry ↗

verb

simple past of slay

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

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 (“to hit, strike, slay”)), due to the influence of knew, drew, etc. More at slay.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Inherited-form mentionslewenm
Derivation mentionsleenenm
Cognate mentionsloughenm
Inherited-form mentionslōgang
Derivation mentionslēanang · to hit, strike, slay

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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      "sleen",
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Source etymology 4

Original entry ↗

noun

A large amount. · A crowd or large number of people.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

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

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Borrowed-form mentionsluaga
Borrowed-form mentionsluaghgd
Derivation mentionslúagmga
Derivation mentionslógsga
Derivation mention*slougoscel-pro
Derivation mention*slowgʰosine-pro

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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Where this record stops

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Contribute located evidence for slew →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger

Machine-source provenance

Source SHA-256: 5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run: 73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID: w-c2xldw