noun Uncommon

slows

slaz

Slows (noun) means an old folk name for milk sickness, an illness once common in frontier communities caused by drinking milk from cows that had eaten poisonous white snakeroot. Example: “Pioneer diaries sometimes describe entire families struck down by the slows after a bad batch of milk.”

noun

An old folk name for milk sickness, an illness once common in frontier communities caused by drinking milk from cows that had eaten poisonous white snakeroot.

"Pioneer diaries sometimes describe entire families struck down by the slows after a bad batch of milk."

How to use slows

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA historical, regional term for milk sickness rather than a word you would use today.

When to use it

Archaic and rarely used outside of historical writing about 19th-century America.

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Pioneer diaries sometimes describe entire families struck down by the _____ after a bad batch of milk.

Frequently asked questions

What does “slows” mean?

The word “slows” means an old folk name for milk sickness, an illness once common in frontier communities caused by drinking milk from cows that had eaten poisonous white snakeroot. In plain terms, a historical, regional term for milk sickness rather than a word you would use today.

How do you pronounce “slows”?

“Slows” is pronounced slaz (/slaːz/ in IPA).

How do you use “slows” in a sentence?

Here is “slows” used in a sentence: “Pioneer diaries sometimes describe entire families struck down by the slows after a bad batch of milk.”

What part of speech is “slows”?

“Slows” is a noun.

Is “slows” a common word?

“Slows” is an uncommon word in modern English.