Can't we all just get along?

Dear nameless slug,

Where did the slang term of slug, meaning punch or hit, come from? Are slugs violent, or did people used to punch each other with slugs, or what?

~Wanting to know in Wisconsin

Dear Wantsin,

Slugs are peaceful creatures by nature, wanting only to wander about the garden and occasionally have a sip or two of beer. Even when drunk, we don't actually hit each other or anyone else (except possibly the bottom of the barrel after a sorry amount of excess). I believe the term comes from one of two places: either the delicate curl of the fingers in a closed fist, which can mimic the lovely curve of a slug's body, or from the rich purple-black color of the contusion that ensues. While this latter isn't an entirely exact representation of the color offered by the majority of slugs, it is indeed an approximation of the darker brown bodies amongst us.

But do remember, slugs come in many colors, shapes and sizes. We do not hit humans unless thrown. And most of the time, we don't use slang.

Regards,
~A nameless slug in the Pacific Northwest