slug away (at something)

To continue trying or working diligently (at something); to plug away (at something). I'm really not very good at math, but I've got to keep slugging away if I want to get into an engineering program. John's been slugging away at the new project, but I don't think he's enjoying it very much.

slug bug

A game in which participants try to be the first to punch the others and say, "Slug bug!" upon seeing a Volkswagen Beetle (known colloquially as a "Bug"). A: "Slug bug!" B: "Ouch! I don't see one anywhere!"

slug it out

1. To physically fight. Watch out, there's two guys slugging it out in the back of the bar! I slugged it out with some guy last night and earned myself a black eye for my troubles.

2. To contend with someone or something for something. In such a big family, my siblings and I always have to slug it out for our parents' attention.

slugfest

1. A fight in which two or more participants punch with their bare hands; a fistfight. A portmanteau of "slug" (meaning "to punch") and "festival." The arguing led to pushing and shoving, which eventually led to an all-out slugfest. She came away from the slugfest with a black eye and a broken hand.

2. A particularly intense or heated argument between two or more people in which points, rebuttals, accusations, etc., are exchanged back and forth. The senator is bracing for a slugfest when she puts her proposal before Congress for a vote. The case has truly been a slugfest between the two large companies' teams of lawyers.

slugged up

1. slang Drunk. From his smell to his stagger, I could tell the old man was already slugged up.

2. slang Wearing dental grills, especially ones made of gold or embedded with diamonds. Our son idolizes those rap stars who think being tattooed and slugged up is an attractive look.

slug it out

to fight something out; to argue intensely about something. They finally went outside to slug it out. We'll just have to sit down in the conference room and slug it out.

ˌslog/ˌslug it ˈout

(British English, informal) (of people, organizations, competitors, etc.) fight very hard until one person or group finally wins: The boxers slugged it out to the finish. ♢ The two teams will slog it out for second place.

In this idiom, slug and slog are both informal words meaning ‘to hit very hard’.

slug

1. n. a drink of liquor; a shot of whiskey. Have a slug of this stuff. It will—I’m sorry to say, ma’am—put hair on your chest. A couple more slugs and he was ready to face the huge bull-necked ruffian.

2. n. a bullet. Marlowe sent a couple of slugs into Rocko’s chest. Rocko crumpled soundlessly.

slug it out

tv. to fight something out; to fight about something figuratively. We’ll just have to sit down in the conference room and slug it out.

slugfest

1. n. a fight; a festival of slugging. They went out in the alley for a real slugfest.

2. n. a festival of arguing. The president emerged from the slugfest with control of the company still hers.

slugged

mod. alcohol intoxicated. I’m slugged—skunked, you know, corned. And I think I am going to sick up. Ted realized that he was slugged out of his mind, but tried to get the bartender to serve him another drink.