slug
slug — noun
- slugsingular
- slugsplural
1. a garden pest in the form of a small soft animal whose long wet body slides alon
a garden pest in the form of a small soft animal whose long wet body slides along the ground on a trail of slime, lacking both legs and the hard casing found on a snail, and often damaging plants by eating their leaves
After the rain, Yuki found several slugs eating holes in her lettuce plants.
common collocation: garden slugs eat plants
A single slug can destroy a whole row of young bean seedlings in one night.
The gardener sprinkled crushed eggshells around the tomatoes to keep slugs away.
When the children lifted the log, they saw a fat yellow slug crawling underneath.
Slugs leave a shiny wet trail wherever they move across soil or stone paths.
- snail
similar but has a shell on its back
用法筆記
The key difference from a snail is the lack of a shell. Often used in gardening contexts.
常見錯誤
2. an insulting word for someone who moves very slowly, makes little effort, or avo
an insulting word for someone who moves very slowly, makes little effort, or avoids doing any work
Come on, you lazy slug — get out of bed and walk the dog before noon.
insulting informal register; often with 'lazy'
Dad called Arjun a slug for spending the entire weekend on the couch.
The coach shouted that the team were acting like slugs and needed to run harder.
Stop being such a slug and help me carry these boxes up the stairs.
- couch potato
less harsh, focuses on sitting around watching TV
- slacker
slightly less offensive, often used among friends
- lazybones
playful, not as insulting
- go-getter
an energetic, ambitious person
- workaholic
someone who works too much
用法筆記
Strongly insulting — do not use in polite conversation. Commonly paired with the adjective 'lazy.'
常見錯誤
3. a single round of ammunition designed to be shot from a firearm, especially a sh
a single round of ammunition designed to be shot from a firearm, especially a shotgun or rifle, consisting of a solid metal projectile
The hunter loaded a single slug into his shotgun before entering the forest.
shotgun ammunition — one slug per shot
Police officers found a lead slug lodged deep inside the wooden fence post.
Omar removed the slug from the rifle chamber and placed it on the workbench.
A shotgun slug can travel through thick brush more easily than a spray of pellets.
The blacksmith melted old rifle slugs to shape them into new fishing weights.
- bullet
more general term for any projectile from a firearm
- round
technical term for one unit of ammunition
- shot
can mean either a single pellet or a discharge
- projectile
formal, technical term
用法筆記
In modern use, 'slug' often refers specifically to a single solid projectile fired from a shotgun, as opposed to multiple smaller pellets (shot).
常見錯誤
4. a large mouthful of liquid that you gulp down at once, especially when the liqui
a large mouthful of liquid that you gulp down at once, especially when the liquid is a spirit such as whiskey or rum
Grandpa took a long slug of whiskey and let out a satisfied sigh.
collocation: take a slug of [drink]
After finishing the race, Kwame took a slug of water from his plastic bottle.
can also be non-alcoholic hydration
Lucia poured herself a generous slug of rum and added a splash of lime.
The old man offered each visitor a slug of homemade cider from a clay jug.
Jack took one last slug of his soda before running to catch the school bus.
- sip
a very small, slow drink
文法句型
slug + of + [alcoholic drink/water]
用法筆記
Most common with strong alcohol (whiskey, rum, brandy), but can be used for any drink taken in a single quick swallow. Usually implies a fairly large mouthful.
常見錯誤
5. a round piece of metal that looks like a coin but is used to operate machines di
a round piece of metal that looks like a coin but is used to operate machines dishonestly, or as a token in games and amusements
The arcade machine rejected the thin metal slug Theo tried in place of a coin.
machine rejection — common scenario
Some vending machines use electronic sensors to tell real coins from counterfeit slugs.
Collecting old brass slugs from antique slot machines became a hobby for the retired watchmaker.
The parking meter jammed when someone pushed a rusty metal slug into the coin slot.
- token
a legitimate machine coin, not necessarily counterfeit
- counterfeit coin
any fake coin, not just for machines
用法筆記
Less common today because modern vending machines have better anti-counterfeit technology. Often implies dishonest use.
常見錯誤
6. a very hard hit, especially one given with a closed hand during a fight or in bo
a very hard hit, especially one given with a closed hand during a fight or in boxing
The boxer took a hard slug to the jaw and stumbled backward against the ropes.
boxing context; collocation: hard slug
Amara ducked just in time and the wild slug aimed at her head hit nothing.
A single well-placed slug from the larger boy sent the bully crashing to the ground.
The old martial arts master could knock out an opponent with one powerful slug.
Mei-Lin rubbed her ribs after catching a slug during practice at the gym.
用法筆記
Used mostly for a punch thrown with force. Can be used literally (boxing) or figuratively ('a slug to the economy').
常見錯誤
slug — verb
- slugpresent simple I / you / we / they
- slugs3rd person singular
- slugging-ing form
- sluggedpast simple
1. to hit someone or something very hard with a closed hand, usually in a fight
to hit someone or something very hard with a closed hand, usually in a fight
The boxer slugged his opponent three times in the final round and won the match.
boxing context; transitive with opponent
Mei-Lin slugged the heavy punching bag until her knuckles were red and sore.
Two boys fought in the schoolyard, and one slugged the other on the nose.
In the movie, the hero slugged the guard on the chin and knocked him out.
Arjun was so angry he wanted to slug someone, but he breathed and walked away.
文法句型
slug + person/object
用法筆記
Always transitive — you slug someone or something. Stronger and more informal than 'hit.' Frequently used with a body part following 'on': 'slugged him on the jaw.'
常見錯誤
2. in baseball, to strike the ball with full force using a bat, driving it far into
in baseball, to strike the ball with full force using a bat, driving it far into the outfield or over the fence
The batter slugged the ball over the left-field fence for a home run.
home run context; transitive with ball
Coach Chen taught the young players how to twist their hips when slugging.
Jack slugged a fastball deep into center field and sprinted toward second base.
The rookie slugged the first pitch he saw, and the crowd roared with joy.
Lily slugged three practice balls into the outfield net before the coach finally smiled.
文法句型
slug + the ball/pitch
用法筆記
Specific to baseball. A player who hits many home runs is called a 'slugger.' The derived noun 'slugging percentage' measures a player's hitting power.