Slew
来自Big Physics
mid 18th century (originally in nautical use): of unknown origin.
wiktionary
In all senses, a mostly British spelling of slue.
Compare slough.
Ablaut of slay, from Middle English slew, sleugh, past of Middle English sleen. Replaced earlier Middle English slough, slogh, from Old English slōg (past of Old English slēan(“to hit, strike, slay”)), due to the influence of knew, drew, etc. More at slay.
Borrowed from Irish slua(“crowd”), from Old Irish slúag, slóg, from Proto-Celtic *slougos(“troop, army”), from Proto-Indo-European *slowgʰos, *slowgos(“entourage”).
etymonline
slew (n.1)
"swampy place," 1708, North American variant of slough.
slew (v.)
"to turn, swing, twist," 1834, earlier slue (1769), a nautical word, of unknown origin. Slewed (1801) is old nautical slang for "drunk." Slew-foot "clumsy person who walks with feet turned out" is from 1896.
slew (n.2)
"large number," 1839, from Irish sluagh "a host, crowd, multitude," from Celtic and Balto-Slavic *sloug- "help, service" (see slogan).
