slough

slough ¹  (sl, slou) also slew (sl)

n.

1. A depression or hollow, usually filled with deep mud or mire.

2. also slue A stagnant swamp, marsh, bog, or pond, especially as part of a bayou, inlet, or backwater.

3. A state of deep despair or moral degradation.

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[Middle English, from Old English slh.]

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sloughy adj.

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slough ²  (slf)

n.

1. The dead outer skin shed by a reptile or amphibian.

2. Medicine A layer or mass of dead tissue separated from surrounding living tissue, as in a wound, sore, or inflammation.

3. An outer layer or covering that is shed.

v. sloughed, slough·ing, sloughs

v.intr.

1. To be cast off or shed; come off: The snake's skin sloughs off.

2. To shed a slough.

3. Medicine To separate from surrounding living tissue. Used of dead tissue.

v.tr.

To discard as undesirable or unfavorable; get rid of: slough off former associates.

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[Middle English slughe.]

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slough ¹ [rhymes with now, rhymes with blue]

Noun

1. a swamp or marshy area

2. US & Canad a large hole where water collects

3. despair or hopeless depression [Old English slōh]

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slough ² [sluff]

Noun

any outer covering that is shed, such as the dead outer layer of the skin of a snake

Verb

slough off

1. to shed (an outer covering) or (of an outer covering) to be shed: the dead cells would slough off

2. to get rid of (something unwanted or unnecessary): she tried hard to slough off her old personality [Germanic]

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slough  (slf)

Noun

The dead outer skin shed by a reptile or an amphibian.

Verb

To shed an outer layer of skin.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	slough - necrotic tissue; a mortified or gangrenous part or mass gangrene, sphacelus pathology - any deviation from a healthy or normal condition cold gangrene, dry gangrene, mumification necrosis, mummification - (pathology) gangrene that develops in the presence of arterial obstruction and is characterized by dryness of the dead tissue and a dark brown color clostridial myonecrosis, emphysematous gangrene, emphysematous phlegmon, gangrenous emphysema, gas gangrene, gas phlegmon, progressive emphysematous necrosis - (pathology) a deadly form of gangrene usually caused by clostridium bacteria that produce toxins that cause tissue death; can be used as a bioweapon
	2.	slough - a hollow filled with mud bog, peat bog - wet spongy ground of decomposing vegetation; has poorer drainage than a swamp; soil is unfit for cultivation but can be cut and dried and used for fuel
	3.	slough - a stagnant swamp (especially as part of a bayou) swamp, swampland - low land that is seasonally flooded; has more woody plants than a marsh and better drainage than a bog
	4.	slough - any outer covering that can be shed or cast off (such as the cast-off skin of a snake) covering, natural covering, cover - a natural object that covers or envelops; "under a covering of dust"; "the fox was flushed from its cover"
Verb	1.	slough - cast off hair, skin, horn, or feathers; "our dog sheds every Spring" exuviate, molt, moult, shed desquamate, peel off - peel off in scales; "dry skin desquamates" cast off, shed, throw off, throw away, shake off, throw, cast, drop - get rid of; "he shed his image as a pushy boss"; "shed your clothes"