slug2

[sluhg] /slʌg/
verb (used with object), slugged, slugging.
1.
to strike heavily; hit hard, especially with the fist.
2.
to hit or drive (a baseball) very hard or a great distance.
verb (used without object), slugged, slugging.
3.
to hit or be capable of hitting hard.
4.
to trudge, fight, or push onward, as against obstacles or through mud or snow:
The infantry slugged up the hill and dug in.
noun
5.
a hard blow or hit, especially with a fist or baseball bat.
Idioms
6.
slug it out,
  1. to fight, especially with fists, until a decisive victory has been achieved.
  2. to succeed or survive by constant and intense struggle.
Origin
1820-30; orig. in phrase hit with a slug; see slug1
British Dictionary definitions for slug it out

slug1

/slʌɡ/
noun
1.
any of various terrestrial gastropod molluscs of the genera Limax, Arion, etc, in which the body is elongated and the shell is absent or very much reduced Compare sea slug related adjective limacine
2.
any of various other invertebrates having a soft slimy body, esp the larvae of certain sawflies
3.
(informal, mainly US & Canadian) a slow-moving or lazy person or animal
Word Origin
C15 (in the sense: a slow person or animal): probably of Scandinavian origin; compare Norwegian (dialect) sluggje

slug2

/slʌɡ/
noun
1.
an fps unit of mass; the mass that will acquire an acceleration of 1 foot per second per second when acted upon by a force of 1 pound. 1 slug is approximately equal to 32.17 pounds
2.
(metallurgy) a metal blank from which small forgings are worked
3.
a bullet or pellet larger than a pellet of buckshot
4.
(mainly US & Canadian) a metal token for use in slot machines, etc
5.
(printing)
  1. a thick strip of type metal that is less than type-high and is used for spacing
  2. a similar strip carrying a type-high letter, used as a temporary mark by compositors
  3. a metal strip containing a line of characters as produced by a linecaster
6.
a draught of a drink, esp an alcoholic one
7.
a magnetic core that is screwed into or out of an inductance coil to adjust the tuning of a radio frequency amplifier
Word Origin
C17 (bullet), C19 (printing): perhaps from slug1, with allusion to the shape of the animal

slug3

/slʌɡ/
verb slugs, slugging, slugged
1.
to hit very hard and solidly, as in boxing
2.
(intransitive) (US & Canadian) to plod as if through snow
3.
(transitive) (Austral & NZ, informal) to charge (someone) an exorbitant price
4.
(informal) slug it out, to fight, compete, or struggle with fortitude
noun
5.
an act of slugging; heavy blow
6.
(Austral & NZ, informal) an exorbitant charge or price
Word Origin
C19: perhaps from slug² (bullet)
Word Origin and History for slug it out

slug

n.

"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.

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

v.

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

Slang definitions & phrases for slug it out

slug it out

verb phrase

To fight with powerful blows; try to smash one another; go toe to toe: The principals were slugging it out in the alley (1943+)


slug 1

noun
  1. A bullet: Doctors said they're still unable to remove the slug (1622+)
  2. A dollar: do the job at 125 slugs a week (1887+)
  3. A drink of liquid, esp of whiskey; snort: ordering a slug of Old Stepmother (1762+)
verb

(also slug down): The crowd cheered and jeered and slugged beers (1940s+)

[origin uncertain; perhaps fr the resemblance of a lump of metal to the snail-like creature the slug; the earliest attested US sensesare''goldnugget,lumpofcrudemetal'';thedrink and drinking senses appear to be derived fr phrases like fire a slug and cast a slug, ''take a drink of liquor,'' found as metaphors in late 18th-century British sources, and may be fr Irish slog, ''a drink, a swallow'']


slug 2

verb
  1. To hit hard, esp with the fist; clobber: He tried to make peace, but he got slugged (1862+)
  2. To make or try for long base hits, esp regularly; go for the fences (1888+ Baseball)
Related Terms

put the slug on someone

[fr British dialect slog, probably ultimately fr Old English slagan, cognate with German schlagen]