luge

Etymology

The noun is borrowed from Switzerland French or Franco-Provençal luge, from Medieval Latin scludia, from Late Latin sclodia, of Celtic origin, from Gaulish *stludio, possibly from Proto-Indo-European *sleydʰ- (“to slide, slip; to be slick or slippery”). If so, it is related to sled and sleigh. Sense 2.2 (“drinking utensil”) is from its resemblance to the tracks on which luges race. The verb is derived from the noun. cognates * Irish raft, float * Old Breton stloit (“sliding; traction”) (modern Breton stlej (“sleigh”)) * Welsh llithr (“slide, slippage”)

noun

1. (countable) A racing sled for one or two people that is ridden with the rider or riders lying on their back.
2. (by extension)
   1. (uncountable) The sport of racing on luges.
   2. (countable) A piece of bone, ice or other material with a channel down which a drink (usually alcoholic) can be poured into someone's mouth.
      The luge was a block of ice, sometimes up to three-and-one-half feet long, which had narrow grooves etched into it. Alcohol was poured onto one end of the luge and as the alcohol traveled down the narrow grooves in the block of ice, it was cooled and then ran directly into the mouth of the waiting drinker on the other end. 1999, Ronald S. Beitman, Liquor Liability: A Primer for Winning Your Case, Philadelphia, Pa.: American Law Institute; American Bar Association Committee on Continuing Professional Education, page 20
      Kegs of beer were set up around every corner. There was also a liquor luge—a giant block of ice, slanted at a 45-degree angle and carved with a convenient path for shots to be poured down and into the mouths of anyone who was thirsty. 22 March 2010, Dan Wiederer, “‘I’ll Do It if Bob Does It’”, in Blue Streak: The Highs, Lows and Behind the Scenes Hijinks of a National Champion, Bloomington, Ind.: iUniverse, page 16
      From restaurant openings and closings to how to do a "Bone Marrow Luge," you'll want to check him [Dave Cathey] out for the latest on the gastronomic scene. 2013, Katie Johnstonbaugh, “Introduction”, in Kevin Sirois, editor, Food Lovers’ Guide to Oklahoma: The Best Restaurants, Markets & Local Culinary Offerings, Guilford, Conn.: Globe Pequot Press, page 5
      The Torres opened their first location in 2010 in Boyle Heights—the area squished between Downtown and East L.A.—and on their Chef's Night Out, we captured some quality father–son time as each Armando showed the other his generation's Boyle Heights. For Junior that meant creative-Italian appetizing at Bestia (technically in the "Arts District") and something called a "bone luge," where a sommelier pours sherry down your gullet via a recently scraped cow femur. 2017, “Things with Tortillas [Pulled Pork Tacos: Armando de la Torre]”, in J. J. Goode, Helen Hollyman, and the editors of Munchies, editors, Munchies: Late-night Eats from the World’s Best Chefs, Berkeley, Calif.: Ten Speed Press, page 70

verb

1. To ride a luge; also, to participate in the sport of luge.
2. (figurative) To slide or slip down a slope.
   [Norman] Ollestad was only 11 when a small plane carrying him, his father and his father's girlfriend to a ski race slammed into the San Gabriel Mountains west of Los Angeles during a blizzard. […] After the girlfriend luged to her death halfway down the icy slope, Ollestad had to pick his way down alone, following the trail of her blood. 5 July 2009, Jennifer Schuessler, “Inside the List”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2021-01-26