slew

For the verb: "to slay"

Simple Past:	slew
Past Participle:	slain

Multiple Entries:
  slew    slay  

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
slew1 (also slue)

▶verb

• 1 turn or slide violently or uncontrollably.

• 2 (usu. as noun slewing) (of an electronic device) give a maximum response to a sudden large increase in input.

▶noun a slewing movement.

– origin C18 (orig. in naut. use): of unknown origin.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
slew2

past of slay1.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
slew3

▶noun informal a large number or quantity.

– origin C19: from Ir. sluagh.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
slay1

▶verb (past slew; past part. slain)

• 1 archaic or literary kill in a violent way.

  ■ N. Amer. murder (someone).

• 2 informal greatly impress or amuse.

– derivatives
slayer noun.

– origin OE slēan ‘strike, kill’, of Gmc origin.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
slay2

▶noun variant spelling of sley.