slew
B2Informal to Neutral. The 'turn/slide' meaning is slightly informal but common in journalism/description. The 'large number' meaning is informal/colloquial.
Definition
Meaning
to turn or slide violently or uncontrollably in a different direction.
A large number or amount; also, past tense of 'slay' (to kill).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
This word is a homograph with three distinct meanings: 1) verb (slew, slewing, slewed): to turn/slide. 2) noun: a large amount. 3) verb (past tense of slay): killed. The first two are etymologically related (via Irish 'slua' meaning 'multitude', later influencing the 'turn' sense). The third is from Old English 'slēan'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. The 'large number' sense (a slew of) is more frequent in American English. The past tense of 'slay' (slew the dragon) is standard in both.
Connotations
The 'large number' sense can imply an overwhelming or excessive quantity, sometimes with a negative connotation.
Frequency
In the UK, 'a slew of' is understood but less common than 'a load of' or 'a host of'. In the US, 'a slew of' is very common in speech and writing.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[NP] slew [PREP PHRASE] (The bus slewed across the ice.)[NP] slew [NP] [PREP PHRASE] (He slewed the car around the corner.)a slew of [NP] (a slew of complaints)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Slew-footed (clumsy, especially with feet turned out)”
- “Slew rate (technical: rate of change in electronics)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
"The company faced a slew of regulatory challenges this quarter."
Academic
"The researcher published a slew of articles on the topic."
Everyday
"The car slewed on the black ice before hitting the barrier."
Technical
"The op-amp's slew rate limits its high-frequency performance."
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The lorry slewed across both lanes of the motorway.
- He slewed the telescope to view a different galaxy.
American English
- The truck slewed into the ditch during the snowstorm.
- She slewed her chair around to face the window.
adverb
British English
- (Not standard as an adverb)
American English
- (Not standard as an adverb)
adjective
British English
- (Not standard as an adjective)
American English
- (Not standard as an adjective)
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The bike slewed in the mud.
- He slew the monster in the story.
- The car slewed violently on the icy patch, narrowly avoiding the wall.
- The government released a slew of new statistics today.
- Critics have levelled a whole slew of accusations against the minister's handling of the crisis.
- The pilot struggled to control the aircraft as it slewed erratically in the crosswinds.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a SLED losing control on ICE and starting to SLUE (an older spelling) – that's a SLEW. Or, a SLOppy crowd is a SLEW of people.
Conceptual Metaphor
LOSS OF CONTROL IS A VIOLENT TURN (The conversation slewed into an argument). QUANTITY IS A MASS/FLOW (A slew of data flooded in).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'slow'.
- The noun 'slew' (a lot) is not directly related to the Russian word for 'elephant' (слон).
- The verb 'slew' (turned) is not the same as 'slough' (shed skin).
Common Mistakes
- Confusing 'slew' (turned) with 'slough' (/slʌf/).
- Using 'slayed' as the past tense of 'slay' in formal contexts (where 'slew' is correct).
- Misspelling as 'slue' (variant, but less common).
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'slew' used as the past tense of 'slay'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The 'turn/slide' meaning is neutral but descriptive. The 'large number' meaning (a slew of) is informal. The past tense of 'slay' (slew) is standard.
'Slue' is a less common variant spelling for the 'turn/slide' meaning. 'Slew' is the dominant and recommended spelling for all meanings.
For the verb 'slay' (kill), 'slew' is the traditional simple past tense. 'Slayed' is increasingly common, especially in informal contexts and for figurative meanings ('She slayed that performance!'), but 'slew' remains correct for formal writing about killing.
It rhymes with 'blue' or 'flew' (/sluː/). It is a homophone with 'slue'.
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