"coal dust," c.1440, sleck, probably from M.Du. slacke, M.L.G. slecke "slag, small pieces left after coal is screened," perhaps related to slagge "splinter flying off metal when it is struck" (see slag).
O.E. slæc "loose, careless" (in ref. to personal conduct), from P.Gmc. *slakas (cf. O.S. slak, O.N. slakr, O.H.G. slah "slack," M.Du. lac "fault, lack"), from PIE base *(s)leg- "to be slack" (see lax). Sense of "not tight" (in ref. to things) is first recorded c.1300. The verb is attested from 1520; slacken (v.) first recorded 1580. Slack-key (1975) translates Hawaiian ki ho'alu First record of slack-jawed (1901) is in Kipling. Slack water "time when tide is not flowing" is from 1769. Slacker popularized 1994, though meaning "person who shirks work" dates back to 1898.
1794, "loose part or end" (of a rope, sail, etc.), from slack (adj.); hense fig. senses in take up the slack (1930) and slang cut (someone) some slack (1968). Meaning "quiet period, lull" is from 1851. Slacks "loose trousers" first recorded 1824, originally military.
not tense or taut; "the old man's skin hung loose and grey"; "slack and wrinkled skin"; "slack sails"; "a slack rope" [syn: loose]
2.
flowing with little speed as e.g. at the turning of the tide; "slack water"
3.
lacking in rigor or strictness; "such lax and slipshod ways are no longer acceptable"; "lax in attending classes"; "slack in maintaining discipline" [syn: lax]
noun
1.
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.
a noticeable deterioration in performance or quality; "the team went into a slump"; "a gradual slack in output"; "a drop-off in attendance"; "a falloff in quality" [syn: slump]
3.
a stretch of water without current or movement; "suddenly they were in a slack and the water was motionless"
4.
a soft wet area of low-lying land that sinks underfoot [syn: mire]
5.
the quality of being loose (not taut); "he hadn't counted on the slackness of the rope"
6.
a cord or rope or cable that is hanging loosely; "he took up the slack"
verb
1.
avoid responsibilities and work, be idle
2.
be inattentive to, or neglect; "He slacks his attention"
3.
release tension on; "slack the rope"
4.
make less active or fast; "He slackened his pace as he got tired"; "Don't relax your efforts now"
5.
become slow or slower; "Production slowed" [syn: slow]
slack 1. Internal fragmentation. Space allocated to a disk file but not actually used to store useful information. 2. In the theology of the Church of the SubGenius, a mystical substance or quality that is the prerequisite of all human happiness. Since Unix files are stored compactly, except for the unavoidable wastage in the last block or fragment, it might be said that "Unix has no slack". See ha ha only serious. [The Jargon File] (1995-03-01)
n. 1. Space allocated to a disk file but not actually used to store useful information. The techspeak equivalent is `internal fragmentation'. Antonym: hole. 2. In the theology of the Church of the SubGenius, a mystical substance or quality that is the prerequisite of all human happiness.
Since Unix files are stored compactly, except for the unavoidable wastage in the last block or fragment, it might be said that "Unix has no slack". See ha ha only serious.
Slack\, a. [Compar. Slacker; superl. Slackest.] [OE. slak, AS. sleac; akin to OS. slak, OHG. slah, Prov. G. schlack, Icel. slakr, Sw. slak; cf. Skr. s[.r]j to let loose, to throw. Cf. Slake.] 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. C?sar . . . about sunset, hoisting sail with a slack southwest, at midnight was becalmed. --Milton. Slack in stays (Naut.), slow in going about, as a ship. Slack water, the time when the tide runs slowly, or the water is at rest; or the interval between the flux and reflux of the tide. Slack-water navigation, navigation in a stream the depth of which has been increased, and the current diminished, by a dam or dams. Syn: Loose; relaxed; weak; remiss; backward; abated; diminished; inactive; slow; tardy; dull.
Slack\, Slacken \Slack"en\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Slacked, Slackened; p. pr. & vb. n. Slacking, Slackening.] [See Slack, a.]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\, Slacken \Slack"en\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Slacked, Slackened; p. pr. & vb. n. Slacking, Slackening.] [See Slack, a.]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\, Slacken \Slack"en\, v. t. 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. Air-slacked lime, lime slacked by exposure to the air, in consequence of the absorption of carton dioxide and water, by which it is converted into carbonate of lime and hydrate of lime.
Slake\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Slaked; p. pr. & vb. n. Slaking.] [OE. slaken to render slack, to slake, AS. sleacian, fr. sleac slack. See Slack, v. & a.]1. To allay; to quench; to extinguish; as, to slake thirst. "And slake the heavenly fire." --Spenser. It could not slake mine ire nor ease my heart. --Shak. 2. To mix with water, so that a true chemical combination shall take place; to slack; as, to slake lime.
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