I. ˈslü, ˈslau̇; in the US ( exc NewEng ) ˈslü is usual for sense 1 with those to whom the sense is familiar; Britain usually ˈslau̇ for both senses noun
Etymology: Middle English sloughe, slo, from Old English slōh; akin to Middle High German slouche ditch
Date: before 12th century
1.
a. : a place of deep mud or mire
b. also 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
• sloughy -ē adjective
II. verb
Date: 1846
transitive verb
: to engulf in a slough
intransitive verb
: to plod through or as if through mud : slog
III. ˈsləf noun
also sluff
Etymology: Middle English slughe; akin to Middle High German slūch snakeskin
Date: 14th century
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
IV. ˈsləf verb
also sluff
Date: 1720
intransitive verb
1.
a. : 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
2.
a. : 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
Synonyms: see discard