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slack - Meaning and Examples

Meaning of 'slack' (Webster Dictionary)

1 . Slack [ a.]
- Alt. of Slacken
2 . Slack [ adv.]
- Slackly; as, slack dried hops.
3 . Slack [ n.]
- Small coal; also, coal dust; culm.
- A valley, or small, shallow dell.
- The part of anything that hangs loose, having no strain upon it; as, the slack of a rope or of a sail.
4 . Slack [ superl.]
- Lax; not tense; not hard drawn; not firmly extended; as, a slack rope.
- Weak; not holding fast; as, a slack hand.
- Remiss; backward; not using due diligence or care; not earnest or eager; as, slack in duty or service.
- Not violent, rapid, or pressing; slow; moderate; easy; as, business is slack.
5 . Slack [ v. t.]
- Alt. of Slacken

Meaning of 'slack' (Princeton's WordNet)

1 . slack [ n]
Meaning (1):
- a noticeable deterioration in performance or quality
Example in sentence:
  • a drop-off in attendance;
  • a falloff in quality;
  • a gradual slack in output;
  • the team went into a slump
Meaning (2):
- the quality of being loose (not taut)
Example in sentence:
  • he hadn't counted on the slackness of the rope
Meaning (3):
- a cord or rope or cable that is hanging loosely
Example in sentence:
  • he took up the slack
Meaning (4):
- a stretch of water without current or movement
Example in sentence:
  • suddenly they were in a slack and the water was motionless
5 . slack [ v]
Meaning (5):
- make less active or fast
Example in sentence:
  • Don't relax your efforts now;
  • He slackened his pace as he got tired
Meaning (6):
- be inattentive to, or neglect
Example in sentence:
  • He slacks his attention
Meaning (7):
- become slow or slower
Example in sentence:
  • Production slowed
Meaning (8):
- cause to heat and crumble by treatment with water
Example in sentence:
  • slack lime
Meaning (9):
- release tension on
Example in sentence:
  • slack the rope
Meaning (10):
- become less in amount or intensity
Example in sentence:
  • The rain let up after a few hours;
  • The storm abated
11 . slack [ s]
Meaning (11):
- not tense or taut
Example in sentence:
  • a slack grip;
  • a slack rope;
  • slack and wrinkled skin;
  • slack sails;
  • the old man's skin hung loose and grey
Meaning (12):
- lacking in rigor or strictness
Example in sentence:
  • lax in attending classes;
  • slack in maintaining discipline;
  • such lax and slipshod ways are no longer acceptable
Meaning (13):
- flowing with little speed as e.g. at the turning of the tide
Example in sentence:
  • slack water

Nearby Words:

slab slab-sided slabber slabbered slabberer slabbering slabbery slabbiness slabbing slabby

See 'slack' also in:

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