slew

The noun form carries a casual, almost colloquial tone, often used to describe an overwhelming or sudden influx of items. It suggests a pile or a heap, implying that the quantity is more than one can easily manage or process at once.

As a verb meaning to kill, the word is archaic or literary, evoking images of epic battles and folklore. In contrast, the mechanical sense of sliding or skidding is technical and visceral, describing a loss of control where momentum forces an object off its intended path.