slough
UK: slaʊ | US: slaʊ
n. 1. A swamp or marshy area.
n. 2. The shedding of dead skin or tissue (e.g., a snake's slough).
v. 1. To shed or cast off (e.g., skin, old habits).
v. 2. (Rare) To sink or become stuck in mud.
The word "slough" originates from Old English slōh, meaning "a muddy place" or "hole." It shares roots with Middle Dutch slo (ditch) and Old High German slo (swamp). The dual meanings—swamp and shedding—reflect natural processes: marshes "shed" water, and snakes shed skin in such environments. Over time, the verb form extended metaphorically to discarding anything unwanted.
The hikers avoided the slough, fearing its deep mud.
Snakes slough their skin several times a year.
He struggled to slough off his pessimistic mindset.
The old wound began to slough dead tissue during healing.
(Rare) The wagon wheels sloughed in the rainy terrain.