slug
UK: slʌɡ | US: slʌɡ
n. a slow-moving, soft-bodied mollusk, typically lacking a shell
n. a slow or lazy person
n. a bullet or projectile (informal)
vt. to hit hard (informal, e.g., "slugged him in the face")
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The word "slug" originates from Middle English "slugge," meaning a lazy person or slow-moving creature, possibly influenced by Scandinavian words like Old Norse "slókr" (lazy person). The connection to "slime" or "slow" is speculative, as the morphemes are not clearly separable in modern spelling. Over time, "slug" expanded to describe mollusks (due to their slow movement) and later, informally, bullets (metaphorically likened to slow, heavy projectiles).
A garden slug left a shiny trail on the lettuce.
Don’t be such a slug—get up and help!
The boxer slugged his opponent in the first round.
The mechanic found a slug lodged in the car’s tire.
She moved at a slug’s pace, annoyed by the heat.