slug | Search Online Etymology Dictionary

"shell-less land snail," 1704, originally "lazy person" (early 15c.); related to sluggard.

"lead bit," 1620s, perhaps a special use of slug (n.1), perhaps on some supposed resemblance. Meaning "token or counterfeit coin" first recorded 1881; meaning "strong drink" first recorded 1756, perhaps from slang fire a slug "take a drink," though it also may be related to Irish slog "swallow." Journalism sense is from 1925, originally a short guideline for copy editors at the head of a story.

slug (n.3)

"a hard blow," 1830, dialectal, of uncertain origin; perhaps related to slaughter or perhaps a secondary form of slay.

slug (v.)

"deliver a hard blow with the fist," 1862, from slug (n.3). Related: Slugged; slugging. Slugging-match is from 1878.

slugger (n.)

1877, originally in baseball, agent noun from slug (v.). Meaning "one who hits with the fists" is from 1883.

slugfest (n.)

1910, originally in reference to baseball, from slug (n.3) + -fest.

slog (v.)

1824, "hit hard," probably a variant of slug (v.3) "to strike." Sense of "walk doggedly" first recorded 1872. Related: Slogged; slogger; slogging.

slug-a-bed (n.)

also slugabed, 1590s, with bed (n.) + obsolete verb slug "be lazy, intert" (early 15c.), which is perhaps from Scandinavian (see sluggard).

beche-de-mer (n.)

"sea-slug eaten as a delicacy in the Western Pacific," 1814, from French bêche-de-mer, literally "spade of the sea," a folk-etymology alteration of Portuguese bicho do mar "sea-slug," literally "worm of the sea."

loach (n.)

small edible European fish, mid-14c., from Old French loche "loach" (13c.), also, in dialect, "slug," a word of unknown origin (see discussion in Gamillscheg).

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