/sluj/ , n.
1. mud, mire, or ooze; slush.
2. a deposit of ooze at the bottom of a body of water.
3. any of various more or less mudlike deposits or mixtures.
4. the sediment in a steam boiler or water tank.
5. broken ice, as on the sea.
6. a mixture of some finely powdered substance and water.
7. sediment deposited during the treatment of sewage.
8. Also called activated sludge . Bacteriol. sewage sediment that contains a heavy growth of microorganisms, resulting from vigorous aeration.
9. a fine, mudlike powder produced by a mining drill.
[ 1640-50; var. of dial. slutch, slitch, ME slich slime, wet mud (cf. its deriv. slucched muddy); appar. of expressive orig. ]