I'm not mistaken in interpreting the term as "you're having not just a lot of sex with a lot of people, but with the wrong people"?

I think Amy's right: when it comes to women, the quality of the partners doesn't matter, just the number. For men, it seems like the quality of the partners comes into play, but then I'm not a man and not privy to the conversations men have amongst themselves.

I don't think a man who sleeps exclusively with beautiful women is going to be called a slut; but a woman who sleeps with a lot of attractive men? Probably, depending on the social context.

And in this scenario, does it mean he uses a lot of new technology, or that he'll use any old new technology, and not apply much discretion to it?

Hmm. I think you're right, it does imply that the speaker thinks he doesn't apply much discretion. But that's a question of perception, right? He might think he's very discreet about his tech purchases.

Yeah, it's not "a lot of sex," it's "sex with a lot of people." You'd never call a woman who has sex with her husband 4 times a day a slut.

I do think indiscriminate and "a lot" in general run together - presumably it's pretty hard to have sex with 100 people and be discriminating? Or it would be a lot of work, anyway.

ChiKat, I hope your friends are okay.

Hayden, I'm so sorry about your friend Michael. I'm glad he's all right, but that kind of devastation is almost unimaginable.

In other news, the tornado watch sirens just went off here.

Stay safe!

presumably it's pretty hard to have sex with 100 people and be discriminating?

This, too, which is sort of what ita's saying about the football team, except the football team isn't *that* many boys, and the football team usually has a level of respect as *good kids* and *athletes*, whether or not that's actually accurate.

If the same girl slept with all six of the worst degenerate bad boys at school, she's still going to be considered a slut, but now a really nasty, sort of sad slut, I think.

flea says what I was thinking. It's hard for someone inclined to use the word "slut" to really consider whether those numbers consist of guys that were well-chosen. The denotation is lots of guys. The connotation is indiscriminate.

"He's a slut for new technology,"

I would take it as "he would do anything for new technology, even sleep with the whole department if necessary".

I agree that it's primarily used to describe women - otherwise "male" is appended. I've neve heard he term "female slut," and it feels redundant. Also, the woman in question may not have even had sex a all; her peers may just not like who she flirts with and want to ruin her reputation. I do not use the word.

eta uggh, iPhone typing.

What everyone else said on the slut thing. Some of it also not about the persons they sleep with but the circumstances? Like, it's not that she sleeps with skanky losers or jerks or whatever, but Luke, has one night stands or sleeps with someone after not knowing them long? For ita's "indiscriminate" category.

And in this scenario, does it mean he uses a lot of new technology, or that he'll use any old new technology, and not apply much discretion to it?

Not as familiar with this use, but I'd interpret as "buying any and every new gadget that comes on the market, regardless of whether he needs it or even has a use for it."

In the sexual sense, I usually interpret as "has had more partners or is less discriminating in choice of partners than the speaker approves." So I see use of the word in that sense as a commentary on the speaker at least as much as on the person spoken about. But that's just me, and I suspect a minority view.