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AH020387 Posted 16 years ago
Vocabulary

'Slough off'

What does the phrase 'slough off' mean?
  

Top answer

Literally it means to shed off, such as skin particles when one has dry skin, or like a snake's skin sloughs off. Or, the side of a hill or mountain or any type of rise can slough off, meaning small parts of it breaking off and falling. But, it can also be used to mean to shake a bad habit, or to shake off a bad play by a sports player and focus back on the game.

  • Literally it means to shed off, such as skin particles when one has dry skin, or like a snake's skin sloughs off.
  • Or, the side of a hill or mountain or any type of rise can slough off, meaning small parts of it breaking off and falling.
  • But, it can also be used to mean to shake a bad habit, or to shake off a bad play by a sports player and focus back on the game.
  • It's also used in card games to mean discarding unwanted cards.
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2 Answers
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Literally it means to shed off, such as skin particles when one has dry skin, or like a snake's skin sloughs off. Or, the side of a hill or mountain or any type of rise can slough off, meaning small parts of it breaking off and falling.

But, it can also be used to mean to shake a bad habit, or to shake off a bad play by a sports player and focus back on the game.

It's also used

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