sludge

plural sludges · alternative Northern England Scotland slutch

1. countableuncountableSolids separated from suspension in a liquid.

   Floods in northern India, mostly in the small state of Uttarakhand, have wrought disaster on an enormous scale.[…]Rock-filled torrents smashed vehicles and homes, burying victims under rubble and sludge.

   2013 June 29, “High and wet”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8842, page 28

   Synonyms: mire, mud, ooze, slush

2. countableuncountableA residual semi-solid material left from industrial, water treatment, or wastewater treatment processes.
3. countableuncountableA sediment of accumulated minerals in a steam boiler.
4. countableuncountableA mass of small pieces of ice on the surface of a water body.
5. abbreviationellipsisuncountableentertainmentEllipsis of sludge metal.
6. countableuncountablebehavioral scienceInstitutional policies that introduce tedium and inefficiency in processes.

   1 more example

   In the 2008 best seller Nudge, the legal scholar Cass R. Sunstein and the economist Richard H. Thaler marshaled behavioral-science research to show how small tweaks could help us make better choices. An updated version of the book includes a section on what they called “sludge”—tortuous administrative demands, endless wait times, and excessive procedural fuss that impede us in our lives.

   [2025 June 29, Chris Colin, “That Dropped Call With Customer Service? It Was on Purpose.”, in The Atlantic, retrieved 29 Jun 2025, Ideas

present singular third person sludges · participle present sludging · participle past sludged · past sludged · alternative Northern England Scotland slutch

1. informalintransitiveTo slump or slouch.
2. intransitiveTo slop or drip slowly.

1. mnemonicemergency medicineAn acronym used to help remember the common symptoms of certain affections of a cholinergic toxidrome: salivation, lacrimation, urination, defecation, gastrointestinal upset, emesis.

   Synonyms: DUMBELS