slurry

Everyday

1. Slurry is a thick, runny mixture of water and something solid, such as mud, cement or crushed rock. tree →
2. (farming) On farms, slurry is liquid animal manure (dung and urine mixed with water) kept in tanks or pits and spread on fields as fertiliser. tree →

In the lessons

In science it is a good example of a mixture that is not a solution: the solid bits are suspended in the liquid and settle if left. In everyday country life children hear about slurry tanks, slurry spreading and the smell. Safety: slurry pits and tanks are very dangerous; they give off poisonous gases and people and animals can drown in them, so children must keep away. Phrases: "slurry pit", "slurry tank", "spread slurry", "cement slurry".

Examples

• The farmer sprayed slurry on the field, and the whole village smelled it. tree →
• Never go near a slurry pit on a farm. tree →
• The builders poured a slurry of cement into the hole. tree →
• When the river flooded, a brown slurry of mud covered the road. tree →
• Our science teacher mixed clay and water to make a slurry. tree →
• If you leave the slurry still, the solid bits sink to the bottom. tree →
• Farm safety posters warn that slurry gas can kill in seconds. tree →

Note

Usually uncountable: "some slurry", "a lot of slurry"; "slurries" is used only by scientists for different kinds. Do not confuse with "slurred" (speech that is not clear) or "slur" (an insult). In science, a slurry is a suspension, not a solution.