slack Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun dust consisting of a mixture of small coal fragments and coal dust and dirt that sifts out when coal is passed over a sieve
  2. noun a noticeable deterioration in performance or quality
    falling off; slump; falloff; drop-off.
    • the team went into a slump
    • a gradual slack in output
    • a drop-off in attendance
    • a falloff in quality
  3. noun a stretch of water without current or movement
    slack water.
    • suddenly they were in a slack and the water was motionless
  4. noun a soft wet area of low-lying land that sinks underfoot
    mire; quag; morass; quagmire.
  5. noun the quality of being loose (not taut)
    slackness.
    • he hadn't counted on the slackness of the rope
  6. noun a cord or rope or cable that is hanging loosely
    • he took up the slack
  7. verb avoid responsibilities and work, be idle
  8. verb be inattentive to, or neglect
    • He slacks his attention
  9. verb release tension on
    • slack the rope
  10. verb make less active or fast
    slack up; slacken; relax.
    • He slackened his pace as he got tired
    • Don't relax your efforts now
  11. verb become slow or slower
    slacken; slow down; slow; slow up.
    • Production slowed
  12. verb make less active or intense
    slake; abate.
  13. verb become less in amount or intensity
    die away; slack off; abate; let up.
    • The storm abated
    • The rain let up after a few hours
  14. verb cause to heat and crumble by treatment with water
    slake.
    • slack lime
  15. adjective satellite not tense or taut
    loose.
    • the old man's skin hung loose and grey
    • slack and wrinkled skin
    • slack sails
    • a slack rope
  16. adjective satellite flowing with little speed as e.g. at the turning of the tide
    • slack water
  17. adjective satellite lacking in rigor or strictness
    lax.
    • such lax and slipshod ways are no longer acceptable
    • lax in attending classes
    • slack in maintaining discipline

WordNet

Slack noun
Etymology
Cf. Slag.
Definitions
  1. Small coal; also, coal dust; culm. Raymond.
Slack noun
Etymology
Icel. slakki a slope on a mountain edge.
Definitions
  1. A valley, or small, shallow dell. Prov. Eng. Grose.
Slack adjective
Etymology
OE. slak, AS. sleac; akin to OS. slak, OHG. slah, Prov. G. schlack, Icel. slakr, Sw. slak; cf. Skr. s&rsdot;j to let loose, to throw. Cf. Slake.
Wordforms
comparative Slacker ; superlative Slackest
Definitions
  1. Lax; not tense; not hard drawn; not firmly extended; as, a slack rope.
  2. Weak; not holding fast; as, a slack hand. Milton.
  3. Remiss; backward; not using due diligence or care; not earnest or eager; as, slack in duty or service.
    The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness. 2 Pet. iii. 9.
  4. Not violent, rapid, or pressing; slow; moderate; easy; as, business is slack. "With slack pace." Chaucer.
    Csar . . . about sunset, hoisting sail with a slack southwest, at midnight was becalmed. Milton.
    Syn. -- Loose; relaxed; weak; remiss; backward; abated; diminished; inactive; slow; tardy; dull.
Slack adverb
Definitions
  1. Slackly; as, slack dried hops.
Slack noun
Definitions
  1. The part of anything that hangs loose, having no strain upon it; as, the slack of a rope or of a sail.
Slack, Slack"en intransitive verb (Also<
  • Slack
  • Slacken
)
Etymology
See Slack, a.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Slacked Slackened ; present participle & verbal noun Slacking, Slackening
Definitions
  1. To become slack; to be made less tense, firm, or rigid; to decrease in tension; as, a wet cord slackens in dry weather.
  2. To be remiss or backward; to be negligent.
  3. To lose cohesion or solidity by a chemical combination with water; to slake; as, lime slacks.
  4. To abate; to become less violent.
    Whence these raging fires Will slacken, if his breath stir not their flames. Milton.
  5. To lose rapidity; to become more slow; as, a current of water slackens.
  6. To languish; to fail; to flag.
  7. To end; to cease; to desist; to slake. Obs.
    That through your death your lineage should slack. Chaucer.
    They will not of that firste purpose slack. Chaucer.
Slack, Slack"en transitive verb (Also<
  • Slack
  • Slacken
)
Definitions
  1. To render slack; to make less tense or firm; as, to slack a rope; to slacken a bandage. Wycklif (Acts xxvii. 40)
  2. To neglect; to be remiss in. Obs. Shak.
    Slack not the pressage. Dryden.
  3. To deprive of cohesion by combining chemically with water; to slake; as, to slack lime.
  4. To cause to become less eager; to repress; to make slow or less rapid; to retard; as, to slacken pursuit; to slacken industry. "Rancor for to slack." Chaucer.
    I should be grieved, young prince, to think my presence Unbent your thoughts, and slackened 'em to arms. Addison.
    In this business of growing rich, poor men should slack their pace. South.
    With such delay Well plased, they slack their course. Milton.
  5. To cause to become less intense; to mitigate; to abate; to ease.
    To respite, or deceive, or slack thy pain Of this ill mansion. Milton.

Webster 1913