slack Hear it!

slack1 definition

slack (slak)

adjective

  1. slow; idle; sluggish
  2. barely moving: said of a current, as of air or water
  3. characterized by little work, trade, or business; not busy or active; dull a slack period
  4. loose; relaxed; not tight, taut, or firm
  5. easily changed or influenced; weak; lax
  6. careless or negligent a slack workman

Etymology: ME slakke < OE slæc, akin to Du slak < IE base *(s)lēg-, loose, slack > L laxus, lax

transitive verb

  1. to make slack; slacken
  2. to slake

intransitive verb

  1. to be or become slack; slacken
  2. to be idle, careless, or negligent

adverb

in a slack manner; so as to be slack

noun

  1. a part that is slack or hangs loose
  2. a lack of tension or tautness; looseness
  3. a stoppage of movement in a current
  4. a dull period; lull

Related Forms:

slack Idioms

cut someone some slack

Slang to be less demanding of someone; ease up on someone

slack off

to slacken

slack up

to go more slowly
slack2 definition

slack (slak)

noun

a mixture of small pieces of coal, coal dust, and dirt left from the screening of coal

Etymology: ME sleck, akin to Fl slecke, dross, Du slak: for IE base see slay

slack3 definition

slack (slak)

noun

  1. a small valley
  2. a bog; morass

Etymology: ME slak < ON *slakki < IE base *slēk, wet, sprinkle

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Comments
Improve this definition.
Do you have more to add? Share your linguistic knowledge or observation.
/Register to save your comments.
Related Discussions (1)
TopicRepliesLatest Post
SLACK104 months ago

Browse Forums