noun
sludge
sluhj
noun
1
Thick, soft, semi-liquid mud, waste, or sediment.
"The pipe was clogged with a layer of black sludge."
"Treatment plants have to dispose of tons of sewage sludge every day."
verb
1
To move in a slouched, sluggish way.
"He sludged across the room, too tired to lift his feet properly."
How to Use Sludge
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThick, gross, semi-liquid gunk, like mud or waste sediment.
Common pairings
toxic sludge
sewage sludge
a layer of sludge
Word Forms
sludged past tense, sludges singular
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Etymology
From Middle English words for mud and mire, ultimately related to the Old English root behind "slush" — sludge and slush share a common muddy ancestor.