Dictionary entry details
• SLACK (noun)
Meaning:
Dust consisting of a mixture of small coal fragments and coal dust and dirt that sifts out when coal is passed over a sieve
Classified under:
Nouns denoting substances
Hypernyms ("slack" is a kind of...):
debris; detritus; dust; junk; rubble (the remains of something that has been destroyed or broken up)
Meaning:
A noticeable deterioration in performance or quality
Classified under:
Nouns denoting natural processes
Synonyms:
slump; falloff; falling off; drop-off; slack
Context examples:
the team went into a slump / a gradual slack in output / a drop-off in attendance / a falloff in quality
Hypernyms ("slack" is a kind of...):
declension; decline in quality; deterioration; worsening (process of changing to an inferior state)
Meaning:
A stretch of water without current or movement
Classified under:
Nouns denoting natural objects (not man-made)
Synonyms:
slack water; slack
Context example:
suddenly they were in a slack and the water was motionless
Hypernyms ("slack" is a kind of...):
stretch (a large and unbroken expanse or distance)
Meaning:
A soft wet area of low-lying land that sinks underfoot
Classified under:
Nouns denoting natural objects (not man-made)
Synonyms:
quagmire; quag; morass; mire; slack
Hypernyms ("slack" is a kind of...):
bog; peat bog (wet spongy ground of decomposing vegetation; has poorer drainage than a swamp; soil is unfit for cultivation but can be cut and dried and used for fuel)
Meaning:
The condition of being loose (not taut)
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
Synonyms:
slackness; slack
Context example:
he hadn't counted on the slackness of the rope
Hypernyms ("slack" is a kind of...):
looseness; play (movement or space for movement)
Meaning:
A cord or rope or cable that is hanging loosely
Classified under:
Nouns denoting man-made objects
Context example:
he took up the slack
Hypernyms ("slack" is a kind of...):
cord (a line made of twisted fibers or threads)
• SLACK (adjective)
Meaning:
Not tense or taut
Synonyms:
slack; loose
Context examples:
the old man's skin hung loose and grey / slack and wrinkled skin / slack sails / a slack rope
Similar:
lax (not taut or rigid; not stretched or held tight)
Meaning:
Lacking in strength or firmness or resilience
Synonyms:
limp; flaccid; slack; lax
Context examples:
flaccid muscles / took his lax hand in hers / gave a limp handshake / a limp gesture as if waving away all desire to know / a slack grip
Similar:
weak (having little physical or spiritual strength)
Meaning:
Flowing with little speed as e.g. at the turning of the tide
Context example:
slack water
Similar:
standing ((of fluids) not moving or flowing)
Meaning:
Lacking in rigor or strictness
Synonyms:
lax; slack
Context examples:
such lax and slipshod ways are no longer acceptable / lax in attending classes / slack in maintaining discipline
Similar:
negligent (characterized by neglect and undue lack of concern)
• SLACK (verb)
Meaning:
Avoid responsibilities and work, be idle
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Hypernyms (to "slack" is one way to...):
fiddle; goldbrick; shirk; shrink from (avoid (one's assigned duties))
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s
Meaning:
Be inattentive to, or neglect
Classified under:
Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting
Context example:
He slacks his attention
Hypernyms (to "slack" is one way to...):
neglect (fail to attend to)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Meaning:
Release tension on
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Context example:
slack the rope
Hypernyms (to "slack" is one way to...):
loose; loosen (make loose or looser)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Meaning:
Make less active or fast
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Synonyms:
slack up; slacken; slack; relax
Context examples:
He slackened his pace as he got tired / Don't relax your efforts now
Hypernyms (to "slack" is one way to...):
decrease; lessen; minify (make smaller)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Meaning:
Become slow or slower
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Synonyms:
slow up; slacken; slow down; slow; slack
Context example:
Production slowed
Hypernyms (to "slack" is one way to...):
weaken (become weaker)
Sentence frames:
Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Meaning:
Make less active or intense
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Synonyms:
abate; slake; slack
Hypernyms (to "slack" is one way to...):
decrease; lessen; minify (make smaller)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Meaning:
Become less in amount or intensity
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Synonyms:
die away; let up; slack off; abate; slack
Context examples:
The storm abated / The rain let up after a few hours
Hypernyms (to "slack" is one way to...):
decrease; diminish; fall; lessen (decrease in size, extent, or range)
Sentence frame:
Something ----s
Meaning:
Cause to heat and crumble by treatment with water
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Synonyms:
slake; slack
Context example:
slack lime
Hypernyms (to "slack" is one way to...):
hydrate (cause to be hydrated; add water or moisture to)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "slack"):
air-slake (alter by exposure to air with conversion at least in part to a carbonate)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
