slew
pronunciation
How to pronounce slew in British English:
UK [sluː]
How to pronounce slew in American English:
US [ sluː]
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- Noun:
- (often followed by `of') a large number or amount or extent
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- Verb:
- turn sharply; change direction abruptly
- move obliquely or sideways, usually in an uncontrolled manner
Word Origin
- slew (n.1)
- "swampy place," 1708, North American variant of slough.
- slew (v.)
- "to turn, swing, twist," 1834, earlier slue (1769), a nautical word, of unknown origin. Slewed (1801) is old nautical slang for "drunk." Slew-foot "clumsy person who walks with feet turned out" is from 1896.
- slew (n.2)
- "large number," 1839, from Irish sluagh "a host, crowd, multitude," from Celtic and Balto-Slavic *sloug- "help, service" (see slogan).
Example
- 1. In the past fortnight or so a slew of us economic data has been on the weaker side .
- 2. Since then , a slew of state laws have expanded access to firearms and the freedom to carry them in public .
- 3. The m590 has a slew of features , as you 'd come to expect from any new camera .
- 4. A slew of accusations followed , with carrier iq and its carrier customers being taken to task for allegedly keylogging , spying and tracking .
- 5. In launching its fight against the strong yen , japan has joined a slew of other asian governments facing a common currency predicament : competition with china .