Slack (Verb)
Meaning 1
Become slow or slower; "Production slowed".
Classification
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc..
Examples
- As demand decreased, sales began to slack and the company struggled to stay afloat.
- The economy will slack if interest rates remain low for an extended period.
- Research shows that after a big project, employee productivity can slack leading to decreased efficiency.
- Her pace began to slack on the last mile of the marathon, and she finished in fifth place.
- Their attention tends to slack as the lecture goes on, especially near the end of the day.
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Meaning 2
Become less in amount or intensity; "The storm abated"; "The rain let up after a few hours".
Classification
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc..
Examples
- The rain slackened after midnight and stopped by morning.
- The pain began to slack as the medication took effect.
- The winds slack a little, giving us some time to fix the boat.
- As the protests continued, public interest began to slack.
- After a few days, the fever started to slack and she felt better.
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Meaning 3
Cause to heat and crumble by treatment with water; "slack lime".
Classification
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc..
Examples
- The builder added water to the mixture to slack the lime and create a workable mortar.
- To slack lime for plaster, you'll need to use a large amount of water and monitor the temperature closely.
- This process slacks the hydrates, turning them into a caustic pulp that needs to be handled with care.
- The mixture can only be used after allowing the lime sufficient time to slack.
- The heating caused by slacking the lime makes it imperative that proper safety precautions are taken.
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Meaning 4
Release tension on; "slack the rope".
Classification
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc..
Examples
- She slowly slackened the sail to reduce the boat's speed.
- The sailor had to slack the rope to avoid getting pulled underwater.
- To descend safely, the climber slackened the rope, giving her more control.
- The hikers slackened their rein on the horse, allowing it to graze freely.
- Slack the chain on the swing when not in use to prevent rust buildup.
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Meaning 5
Be inattentive to, or neglect; "He slacks his attention".
Classification
Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting.
Examples
- She constantly slacks her responsibilities, leaving others to pick up the slack.
- He slacks his attention during lessons and often misses important information.
- The team manager accused the players of slacking their training efforts.
- The new employee tends to slack his duties, especially when no one is watching.
- If you slack your pace now, you might fall behind the rest of the group.
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Meaning 6
Avoid responsibilities and work, be idle.
Classification
Verbs of political and social activities and events.
Examples
- During the summer break, the college student slackened off and didn't start his part-time job on time.
- With no deadline for the project, he kept slacking and kept pushing it for another day.
- The weather outside made him want to slack off and stay in bed all day.
- If the team leader started to slack, he worried that his team would follow suit.
- Her coworkers accused her of slacking on the job, not contributing to group projects as much as they should be.
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Meaning 7
Make less active or fast; "He slackened his pace as he got tired"; "Don't relax your efforts now".
Classification
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc..
Examples
- She did not slack her efforts even when the project team faced significant challenges.
- The hikers were told to slack their pace to avoid heat exhaustion in the intense desert sun.
- The runners began to slack once they had crossed the half-way mark in the marathon.
- To avoid accidents, beginners are advised to slack the rope carefully while rock climbing.
- The company fears that layoffs might slack employee morale and affect productivity.
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Meaning 8
Make less active or intense.
Classification
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc..
Examples
- The crew did not slack their speed despite the approaching storm, but once it hit, they had to slack the sails to prevent damage.
- Warmer temperatures will slack the grip of winter on the region, allowing more outdoor activities.
- As the night wore on, the band began to slack their tempo, gradually calming the frenzied crowd.
- When her competitors started to gain on her, the swimmer refused to slack her pace, instead accelerating towards the finish line.
- To avoid overheating, allow the material to slack from its initial tightness before sewing the final seam.