Middle English Dictionary Entry
slough n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | slough n.(1) Also sloughe, slouh(e, slouȝ(e, slouȝh, sloweȝ, slogh(e, sloh, slou(e, slo, sclough, sclouȝgh & sloghte, sloughte, slouth, sclouthe, (EAngl.) sloth(e & (in names) slohwe, sclo(u(e, slouge, slougeh, slouch, slouc, slog, sloch, sloc, slokh, scloc, schloch, slaue, slawa, slah, sleue, slon, sloz, shou & (error) sowth. |
| Etymology | OE slōh, slōg, (oblique) slō. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A muddy place, mudhole; a swamp; also, mud, mire; ~ place, a muddy place; withouten ~, without dirt, clean; (b) fig. a degraded state or condition, a state of moral turpitude; (c) in surnames and place names [see Smith PNElem.2.129-30; some quots. may belong to slo n.].
Associated quotations
a
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Roy 17.A.27)87/770 : Al þet ter in is..as eni gles smeðest, bute sloh & slec.
- a1325 SLeg.(Corp-C 145)152/115 : Ouer dich and ouer heg and ouer many a voul slo He harlede þis holyman.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Roy 1.B.6)2 Pet.2.22 : An hound turned aȝen to his woom..and a sowe waschun in the walewinge, or slowe, of cley, or fen.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mcp.(Manly-Rickert)H.64 : He hath also to do moore than ynow To kepen hym and his capul out of the slow [vrr. slough, slowhe, sclouȝgh].
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.NP.(Manly-Rickert)B.3988 : I sholde er this haue fallen doun for sleep, Al thogh the slough [vrr. slow, slouhe, sclouþe, sloweȝ] hadde neuere ben so deep.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.2981 : He tok thanne of the welles brinke Or of the pet or of the slowh.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fri.(Manly-Rickert)D.1565 : Now is my cart out of the slow [vr. sclough], pardee.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)1964 : Also ȝe ete of no flesshe elles þat in slouȝe & erþe dwelles.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)13.179 : Bote yf þat sed þat sowen is in þe sloh sterue, Shal neuere spir springen vp, ne spik on strawe curne.
- a1425 Arth.& M.(LinI 150)1599 : Somme fellen for ferd in slowȝ.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)70a/b : Voluptabrum: wrytlse of sloughte [Pep: locus cenosus].
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)460 : Slothe, where swyne or oþer bestys han dwellyd: Volutabrum; Slothe, where water stondythe aftyr reyne: Colluvium, colluvies, vel colluvio.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)10189 : Weye she hyr yeuyn nolde..An so in þe slooth she fel rewly.
- ?a1450 Macer (Stockh Med.10.91)190 : Baldemoyne sounde [read: founde] in þe mery and slowþ [doth] in medecyns al wich oþer bouȝt medecynes doþ.
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)183/15 : He slepeþ in his synne as þe swyn þat liþ in a foule slowȝh ful of gruttes.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)13597 : By brookys and by sloos fowle, A-mong the clay they hym dyffoule.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.B.1198 : Slombre not in foule synne as a sowe doith in a sloughe.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)115b : A Sloghe [Monson: Sloghte]: tesquum, tesqua, volutabrum.
- c1485 Assump.Virg.(1) (Hrl 2382)128/507 : That body also..Cast we it in a foule sloo.
- a1500 Degrev.(Cmb Ff.1.6)1672 : Some lorkus vndur tres In slowes vnshene.
- a1500 *Medulla (Cnt D.2)6b/ b : Alluces..id est loca tenosa, slough [Pep: sowthplace].
b
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)1394 : Moni wummon haueþ misdo Þat aris op of þe slo.
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)39.2 : Þenne led he me Fra þe slogh of wrecchednes And fra fen ofe drege þat es.
- (1415) Hoccl.Oldcastle (Hnt HM 111)105 : Ryse vp, a manly knyght, out of the slow Of heresie.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)53/23 : O wrecchidful myserie of man which so myche deliteþ hym in a foule slouȝ, as a foul vnresonable beest.
- c1425 Mirror LM&W (Hrl 45)89/34 : We lye fouler & walowe in sloes of synne þan eny swyne doþ.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)2756 : Þus hast þou gotyn in synful slo Of þyne neygborys be extorcyoun.
- c1450 Bk.GGrace (Eg 2006)582/18 : Þay þat were prowde here in erth felle fro slo to slo withowten anye cesynge.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)29.3 : Wha sa gifis thaim til lustis of fleysse..thai light in the sloghe.
c
- (1159) EPNSoc.9 (Dev.)440 : Polslewe.
- (1168) EPNSoc.38 (Glo.)206 : Slochtre.
- (1174) EPNSoc.38 (Glo.)206 : Slouctres.
- (1179) EPNSoc.9 (Dev.)440 : Poleslawa.
- (1195) EPNSoc.38 (Glo.)206 : Scloctre.
- (1204) EPNSoc.38 (Glo.)206 : Sloctres.
- (1221) EPNSoc.38 (Glo.)206 : Slokhter, Slogtre, Schlochtres.
- (1231) EPNSoc.9 (Dev.)440 : Polleshou.
- (1238) EPNSoc.9 (Dev.)440 : Pollesslawe.
- (1259) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)344 : Edrichescloue.
- (1273) Close R.Edw.I110 : Henry de la Slough.
- (1275) EPNSoc.38 (Glo.)206 : Slouthtre.
- (1275) in Löfvenberg ME Local Surnames190 : Ric. atte Slouh.
- (1275) in Löfvenberg ME Local Surnames190 : Joh. de la Slon.
- (1275) in Löfvenberg ME Local Surnames190 : Thom. de la Slouth.
- (1284) in Löfvenberg ME Local Surnames190 : Sim. de la Sloztre.
- (1286) EPNSoc.38 (Glo.)206 : Slouchtre.
- (1291) EPNSoc.38 (Glo.)206 : Slougehtre superior.
- (1312) Cust.Battle Abbey in Camd.n.s.41158 : Elyas atte Slou.
- (1314) EPNSoc.3 (Bedf.& Hnt.)132 : La Sclo.
- (1320) EPNSoc.38 (Glo.)207 : Slahteruesford.
- (1374) EPNSoc.12 (Ess.)590 : Tyffaynys Sclow.
- (c1380) in Sundby Dial.Wor.100 : Rog. Slohwe.
- (1402) EPNSoc.19 (Cmb.)122 : Le Sclohell.
- (a1461) EPNSoc.38 (Glo.)206 : Slouȝter superiori.
- (a1500) EPNSoc.4 (Wor.)231 : Dodeslough.