Part 484

Slough grass (Bot.), a name in the Mississippi valley for grasses of the genus Muhlenbergia; -- called also drop seed, and nimble Will.

Slough, obs. imp. of Slee, to slay. Slew. Chaucer.

Slough (?), n. [OE. slugh, slouh; cf. MHG. sl&?;ch the skin of a serpent, G. schlauch a skin, a leather bag or bottle.] 1. The skin, commonly the cast-off skin, of a serpent or of some similar animal.

2. (Med.) The dead mass separating from a foul sore; the dead part which separates from the living tissue in mortification.

Slough, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Sloughed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Sloughing.] (Med.) To form a slough; to separate in the form of dead matter from the living tissues; -- often used with off, or away; as, a sloughing ulcer; the dead tissues slough off slowly.

Slough, v. t. To cast off; to discard as refuse.

New tint the plumage of the birds, And slough decay from grazing herds.

Emerson.

Slough"ing (?), n. (Zoöl.) The act of casting off the skin or shell, as do insects and crustaceans; ecdysis.

Slough"y (?), a. Full of sloughs, miry.

Slough"y (?), a. Resembling, or of the nature of, a slough, or the dead matter which separates from living flesh.

Slov"en (?), n. [D. slaf careless, negligent, a sloven; akin to LG. sluf slovenly.] A man or boy habitually negligent of neathess and order; -- the correlative term to slattern, or slut. Pope.

He became a confirmed sloven.

Macaulay.

Slov"en*li*ness (?), n. The quality or state of being slovenly.

Slov"en*ly, a. 1. Having the habits of a sloven; negligent of neatness and order, especially in dress.

A slovenly, lazy fellow, lolling at his ease.

L'Estrange.

2. Characteristic of a sloven; lacking neatness and order; evincing negligence; as, slovenly dress.

Slov"en*ly, adv. a slovenly manner.

Slov"en*ness, n. Slovenliness. [Obs.] Fuller.

Slov"en*ry (?), n. Slovenliness. [Obs.] Shak.

Slow (sl), obs. imp. of Slee, to slay. Slew. Chaucer.

Slow (sl), a. [Compar. Slower (?); superl. Slowest.] [OE. slow, slaw, AS. slw; akin to OS. slu blunt, dull, D. sleeuw, slee, sour, OHG. slo blunt, dull, Icel. slr, slær, Dan. slöv, Sw. slö. Cf. Sloe, and Sloth.] 1. Moving a short space in a relatively long time; not swift; not quick in motion; not rapid; moderate; deliberate; as, a slow stream; a slow motion.

2. Not happening in a short time; gradual; late.

These changes in the heavens, though slow, produced Like change on sea and land, sidereal blast.

Milton.

3. Not ready; not prompt or quick; dilatory; sluggish; as, slow of speech, and slow of tongue.