Slug: meaning, definitions and examples

Commonly used to refer to the shell-less gastropod that is found in gardens and damp places; it can also mean a lazy person or to hit someone hard, often used in slang.

• I found a slug in the garden today.
• Don't be a slug, get up and help!
• He decided to slug his opponent in the face.

Commonly used to describe gastropods with a coiled shell, often found in gardens or aquatic environments. It can also metaphorically describe someone who moves very slowly.

• The snail moved slowly across the leaf.
• He works at a snail's pace.

A broader scientific term to describe a large group of invertebrates that includes gastropods like slugs and snails, as well as other creatures like octopuses. Often used in marine biology.

• Mollusks are fascinating creatures that include snails, slugs, and octopuses.
• She’s studying the diversity of mollusks in the coral reef.

A scientific term to describe a large class of mollusks, which includes both slugs and snails, often used in biology.

• Gastropods have a coiled shell in some species, like snails.
• The study focused on various types of gastropods.

Used in the context of bullets, particularly large-sized bullets intended for shotguns. It can also mean a small, slimy creature, like a snail without a shell, in everyday language. In informal slang, it can mean a strong strike or hit.

• He loaded a slug into his shotgun.
• The garden is full of slugs after the rain.
• He gave him a slug in the arm.

Refers to the small metal projectile for small arms (like pistols and rifles). It is also used colloquially in phrases related to decisiveness or drastic action.

• He found an old bullet in the dirt while hiking.
• It's time to bite the bullet and make a decision.

A general term for any object thrown or propelled for use as a weapon. Can be used in physics and military contexts.

• The trebuchet launched a huge projectile over the castle walls.
• The scientists studied the path of the projectile.

A broad term used for any material fired, scattered, dropped, or detonated from any weapon. Also used in metaphorical sense to mean arguments or information used to engage in a debate.

• The soldiers carried enough ammunition for the entire battle.
• She armed herself with plenty of ammunition for the debate.