subs. (old colloquial).—Generic for sloth. Thus (1) = a drone, a lazybones: also SLUG-A-BED, and (now accepted) SLUGGARD; 2. (old) = a hindrance; and (3) = a slow-paced boat, horse, &c., or (B. E.) a dull-edged tool. As adj. (also SLUGGISH and SLUGGY) = lazy, slow; as verb. = (1) to laze, and (2) to hinder.
1383. CHAUCER, The Canterbury Tales, ‘The Parson’s Tale.’ Thanne cometh sompnolence, that is, SLUGGY slumbring, which makith a man ben hevy and dul in body and in soule.
1440. Promptorium Parvulorum, 460. SLUGGYN, desidio, torpeo.
14[?]. Political Poems [E.E.T.S.], 32. The SLUGGE lokyth to be holpe of God that commawndyth men to waake in the worlde.
1590. SPENSER, The Fairie Queene, II. i. 23, 3. To SLUG in slouth and sensuall delights. Ibid. (d. 1599), A View of the Present State of Ireland. He lay not all night SLUGGING in a cabin under his mantle.
1593. SHAKESPEARE, Comedy of Errors, ii. 2. Thou drone, thou snail, thou SLUG. Ibid. (1595), Romeo and Juliet, iv. 5. 2. Why, lamb! why, lady! fie, you SLUG-A-BED.
1605. BACON, Advancement of Learning, ii. They are indeed but remoras and hindrances to stay and SLUG the ship for further sailing. Ibid. (1597–1624), Essays, ‘Of Usury.’ Money would be stirring if it were not for this SLUGGE.
1611. COTGRAVE, Dictionarie, s.v. Paresser. To SLUGGE it, to laze it, to liue idly.
1621. BURTON, The Anatomy of Melancholy, III. II. iii. 1. A SLUG, a fat fustilugs.
1635. QUARLES, Emblems, i. 8.
| One spends his day in plots, his night in play; | |
| Another sleeps and SLUGS both night and day. | |
| Ibid., 1. 13. | |
| Lord, when we leave the world and come to thee, | |
| How dull, how SLUG are we! |
1641. MILTON, Reformation in England, I. It is still episcopacy that … worsens and SLUGGS the most learned and seeming religions of our ministers.
1648. HERRICK, Hesperides, ‘To Corinna Going a-Maying.’
| Get up, sweet SLUG-A-BED, and see | |
| The dew bespangling herbe and tree. |
1652. SHIRLEY, The Brothers, v. 3. Car. Will none deliver me? Luys. They are somewhat SLUG.
1659. GAUDEN, The Tears of the Church, 381. Which soon grew a SLUG, when once the North-wind ceased to fill its sailes.
1666. PEPYS, Diary, 17 Oct. His rendevouz for his fleet and for all SLUGGS to come.
1888. Encyclopædia Britannica, xii. 199. A SLUG [horse] must be kept going, and an impetuous one restrained.
4. (old).—A dram. Hence to FIRE (or CANT) A SLUG = to drink (GROSE).
1762. SMOLLETT, Sir Launcelot Greaves, II. v. He ordered the waiter … to … bring alongside a short allowance of brandy or grog that he might CANT A SLUG into his breadroom.
5. (American).—An ingot of gold; a twenty-dollar piece (Encyclopædic Dictionary), but in Century Dictionary ‘a gold coin of the value of fifty dollars privately issued in San Francisco during the mining excitement of 1849.’
1890. San Francisco Bulletin, 10 May. An interesting reminder of early days in California in the shape of a round fifty-dollar SLUG.… But fifty of these round fifty-dollar pieces were issued when orders came from the East prohibiting private coinage.
