单词 | slack |
释义 | slackn.1 northern and Scottish. 1. a. A small shallow dell or valley; a hollow or dip in the ground; a depression in a hillside or between two stretches of rising ground. ΘΚΠ the world > the earth > land > landscape > low land > hollow or depression > [noun] pathOE slackc1400 navela1425 trough1513 nook1555 falling1565 swale1584 hella1653 depression1665 holl1701 sag1727 dip1783 recession1799 holler1845 sike1859 sitch1888 sulcus1901 c1400 Rowland & O. 1418 Doun þay dange þaire Baners brade Bothe in slakkes & in slade. ?c1450 Life St. Cuthbert (1891) l. 7418 Slike paynes suffird all þe pak Þat wer broght in to þat slak [= a vale of depnes 7407]. 1470–85 T. Malory Morte d'Arthur vi. v. 189 Ther by a lytyl slake syr launcelot wounded hym..nyghe vnto the deth. 1487 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (St. John's Cambr.) xiv. 536 Till the hill thai tuk the way. In a slak thame enbuschit thai. 1513 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid viii. x. 91 Sitand into ane holl valle or slak. 1575 J. Rolland Treat. Court Venus iii. f. 38 Quhite as the snaw that euer lay in slak. 1615 in J. Stuart Extracts Council Reg. Aberdeen (1848) II. 326 The samen is mercheit be stanes..quhill it come to the end of the Gallow slackis. 1682 O. Heywood Autobiogr., Diaries, Anecd. & Event Bks. (1885) IV. 85 My danger upon Clifton common..; in a slack full of snow my horse got fast. 1718 in W. Cramond Rec. Elgin (1903) I. 402 Ane stripe that rins in ane slack. 1788 W. Marshall Provincialisms E. Yorks. in Rural Econ. Yorks. II. 353 Slack, a valley, or small shallow dale; a dip. 1813 J. Hogg Queen's Wake ii. xii. 166 O'er slope and slack She sought her native stall. 1825– in northern glossaries. 1891 J. C. Atkinson Forty Years Moorland Parish 186 A series of short banklets, hillocks, mounds, and peaks, with intertwining gullies, slacks, and hollows. ΘΚΠ the world > the earth > land > landscape > low land > hole or pit > [noun] dalea800 piteOE dike847 hollowc897 hole946 seathc950 delfOE hollc1050 ditchc1275 lakec1320 holetc1380 slacka1500 dell1531 vault1535 pit-hole1583 delve1590 lough1672 sinusa1676 gap1696 self-lough1700 scoop1780 cup1819 a1500 in Ratis Raving (1870) 23 Mony man makis a slak in an vthir manis vay, and fall fyrst thar in. 2. A hollow in the sand- or mud-banks on a shore. Also, a depression among sand-dunes. ΘΚΠ the world > the earth > land > landscape > low land > hollow or depression > [noun] > other slack?a1400 swamp1691 cauldrona1763 hog wallow1829 tomo1859 kettle1866 pocket1869 dolina1882 kettle hole1883 frost hollow1895 impact crater1895 uvala1902 frost pocket1907 sotch1910 pingo1938 lagg1939 tafoni1942 the world > the earth > land > landscape > low land > hollow or depression > [noun] > between sand-dunes low1929 slack1929 ?a1400 Morte Arth. 3720 Thane was þe flode passede; Thane was it slyke a slowde in slakkes fulle hugge, That let þe kyng for to lande. 1570 in J. Cranstoun Satirical Poems Reformation (1891) I. xxiv. 39 Had not bene ane slack was in the sands, Weill had he payit ȝow tratouris for ȝour tressoun. 1901 Pall Mall Mag. Sept. 138 The ‘slacks’ I have mentioned are fresh-water pools which extend just inside the outer sandhills [of the estuary of the Mersey]. 1929 Jrnl. Ecol. 17 138 Very characteristic of the Blakeney dunes are the ‘lows’—narrow valleys between the dune-ridges, corresponding to the ‘slacks’ of the west-coast dunes. The lows differ from slacks in not being permanently moist..and in being liable to flooding by unusually high tides. 1934 Geogr. Jrnl. 83 498 The question that always comes to my mind in looking at dune formations is what is the primary cause of the rhythmical or ripple effect, the succession of ridges and slacks. 1963 Times 27 Feb. 11/6 In the lee of the high dunes lie wet slacks and attractive freshwater pools out of which grow strands of reed and reed-mace. 1964 V. J. Chapman Coastal Vegetation vi. 153 The damp soil of the slacks is colonized by a carpet of the Creeping Willow. 3. A soft or boggy hollow; a morass. ΘΚΠ the world > the earth > land > landscape > marsh, bog, or swamp > [noun] marsheOE fenc888 sladec893 moorOE mossOE marshlandlOE lay-fena1225 lay-mirea1225 moor-fenc1275 flosha1300 strother?a1300 marish1327 carrc1330 waterlanda1382 gaseync1400 quaba1425 paludec1425 mersec1440 sumpa1450 palus?1473 wash1483 morass1489 oozea1500 bog?a1513 danka1522 fell1538 soga1552 Camarine1576 gog1583 swale1584 sink1594 haga1600 mere1609 flata1616 swamp1624 pocosin1634 frogland1651 slash1652 poldera1669 savannah1671 pond-land1686 red bog1686 swang1691 slack1719 flowa1740 wetland1743 purgatory1760 curragh1780 squall1784 marais1793 vlei1793 muskeg1806 bog-pit1820 prairie1820 fenhood1834 pakihi1851 terai1852 sponge1856 takyr1864 boglet1869 sinkhole1885 grimpen1902 sphagnum bog1911 blanket bog1939 string bog1959 the world > the earth > land > landscape > marsh, bog, or swamp > [noun] > wet place, mire, or slough sloughc900 mooreOE letch1138 mire1219 sougha1300 dew1377 slop?a1400 flashc1440 slothc1440 slonk1488 slot?a1500 rilling1610 slab1610 water-gall1657 slunkc1700 slack1719 mudhole1721 bog-hole1788 spew1794 wetness1805 stabble1821 slob1836 sludge1839 soak1839 mudbath1856 squire-trap1859 loblolly1865 glue-pot1892 swelter1894 poaching1920 1719 in W. Cramond Ann. Cullen (1888) 79 The magistrates appoint..that none cast above two spades casting in the common moss or Chamar Slack without liberty. 1815 W. Scott Guy Mannering II. 49 A deep morass, termed in that country a slack. c1880 J. Lucas Stud. Nidderdale 278 Slack, a hollow boggy place. 1897 E. W. Hamilton Outlaws of Marches xxviii. 310 The yellow slack that feeds the Blackburn, and in which horse and rider might readily disappear for ever. This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1911; most recently modified version published online March 2022). slackn.2 Small or refuse coal. Also attributive. ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > materials > fuel > coal or types of coal > [noun] > small, refuse, impure, or coal-dust slackc1440 smith coal1466 smithy coal1482 coal dusta1529 panwood1531 smith's coal1578 kirving1599 culm1603 coom1611 small coal1643 smit1670 smut1686 slag1695 duff1724 duff coal1724 small1780 gum1790 stinking coal1803 cobbles1811 nubbling1825 stinkers1841 rubble1844 pea1855 nuts1857 nut coal1861 slap1865 burgee1867 smudge1883 waste1883 treble1901 coal smut1910 gumming1938 nutty slack1953 α. β. 1729 J. Swift Let. on Irish Coal in Wks. (1841) II. 110 In every half barrel of coals you have the one-half of it slack, and that slack of little use.1795 J. Phillips Gen. Hist. Inland Navigation (rev. ed.) Add. 173 For all slack or small and inferior coal for the purpose of burning lime-stone or bricks,..six-pence per ton.1825 ‘J. Nicholson’ Operative Mechanic 358 The fire is now slackened, and a quantity of slack, or refuse pit-coal, thrown into the furnace.1881 F. Young Every Man his own Mechanic §1420. 649 The fuel used is fine coal generally called ‘Smith's coal’ or ‘slack’.?1881 Census Eng. & Wales: Instr. Clerks classifying Occupations & Ages (?1885) 84/3 Slack-picker, -washer.c1440 Pallad. on Husb. ii. 152 Vndonged sleck wole make hem lene, as preue is. 1665 D. Dudley Mettallum Martis sig. B7 These Colliers must cast these coles, and sleck or drosse out of their wayes. 1677 Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 12 898 The Men..hid themselves as well as they could in the loose sleck or small Cole. 1800 Hull Advertiser 29 Nov. 2/1 For every chaldron of coals, sleck, cinders, culm, coke. 1857 E. Waugh Sketches Lancs. Life (ed. 2) 197 Nearly every cottage had its stock of coals piled up under the front window,..the ‘cobs’ neatly built up into a square wall, and the centre filled up with the ‘sleck an' naplins’. This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1911; most recently modified version published online March 2022). slackn.3ΘΚΠ the world > time > [noun] > course or passage of time process1357 concoursec1400 coursec1460 successionc1485 passing-by1523 by-passing1526 slacka1533 continuancea1552 race1565 prolapse1585 current1587 decurse1593 passage1596 drifting1610 flux1612 effluxion1621 transcursion1622 decursion1629 devolution1629 progression1646 efflux1647 preterition1647 processus1648 decurrence1659 progress1664 fluxation1710 elapsing1720 currency1726 lapse1758 elapse1793 time-lapse1864 wearing1876 a1533 Ld. Berners tr. A. de Guevara Golden Bk. M. Aurelius (1539) R iij b All onely for slacke of time, and driuyng of one houre to a nother. 2. a. A cessation in the strong flow of a current or of the tide. (Cf. slack-water n.) Also, a drop in the strength of a wind; a light wind. ΘΚΠ the world > the earth > water > flow or flowing > tide > type of tide > [noun] > slack slake water1589 still water1626 slack1642 pinch-water1682 pinch1721 slack-water1769 1642 Maine Doc. Hist. 3 308 Ready..to attend for a slack of wind to bring over the ship to the Ile of Shoulds. 1757 Philos. Trans. 1756 (Royal Soc.) 49 531 He met an unexpected slack in Greenwich-reach. 1757 Philos. Trans. 1756 (Royal Soc.) 49 531 During the time of the water flowing, the strength of the current going down was greatly abated, almost to a slack. 1892 Law Times Rep. 67 251/1 The tide was low water slack, and the weather was fine and clear. 1902 Ld. Avebury Scenery of Eng. 456 They are the debris of the Yorkshire and Lincolnshire coast, and are deposited at the slack of highwater. b. A stretch or reach of comparatively still water in a river. ΘΚΠ the world > the earth > water > rivers and streams > system > [noun] > still part keld1697 steady1792 slack1825 slack-water basin1836 slack-water1837 1825 J. T. Brockett Gloss. North Country Words Slack, a long pool in a streamy river. 1889 in E. Peacock Gloss. Words Manley & Corringham, Lincs. (ed. 2) 1902 Daily Chron. 28 Jan. 8/3 Some perch and pike have also been taken out of the eddies and slacks. 3. a. An interval of comparative inactivity; a lull in business or in action of any kind. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > ceasing > temporary cessation of activity or operation > [noun] > a temporary cessation of activity or operation > period of inactivity or quiescence lull1815 slack1851 1851 H. Mayhew London Labour II. 83/1 An ingenious..costermonger, during a ‘slack’ in his own business, [etc.]. 1861 T. Hughes Tom Brown at Oxf. III. xi. 208 Though there's a slack, we haven't done with sharp work yet, I can see. b. A slackening of speed. ΘΚΠ the world > movement > rate of motion > [noun] > decreasing rate of movement or progress relent1580 slowing1598 slowing up1868 slowing down1870 slow-up1874 slowdown1882 deceleration1897 slack1899 slow1954 1899 Daily News 14 Sept. 7/6 The 231/ 4 miles..are covered in 211/ 2 minutes; and this though there is a relaying slack at Farnborough. c. In critical path analysis, the length of time by which a particular event can be delayed without delaying the completion of the overall objective. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > [noun] > a form or kind of operation > series of dependent operations > important sequence of operations > delay possible without jeopardizing completion slack1962 1962 NASA PERT & Compan. Cost System Handbk. (U.S. Nat. Aeronaut. & Space Admin.) B-3 The accomplishment of event #3 could be delayed by three weeks without jeopardizing meeting the expected date for the end objective. This difference or cushion is called slack. 1964 K. G. Lockyer Introd. Crit. Path Anal. v. 46 A different expression of the ability of activities to move is given by considering the head and tail events. These have ‘earliest’ and ‘latest’ times, and slack is the difference between these times. 1970 O. Dopping Computers & Data Processing xxii. 346 After the critical path has been found, it may be possible to transfer resources from activities with a big slack to certain critical activities. 4. a. That part of a rope, sail, etc., which is not fully strained, or which hangs loose; a loose part or end. Also figurative, esp. in to take up the slack, to use up a surplus or make up a deficiency, thereby maintaining or returning to a stable condition; to hold on the slack, to skulk; to be lazy (1864 Slang Dict.). ΘΚΠ the world > space > relative position > support > hanging or suspension > [noun] > hanging down > hanging down loosely > loose end slack1794 society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > equipment of vessel > masts, rigging, or sails > sail > [noun] > slack part slack1794 society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > equipment of vessel > ropes or chains other than rigging or cable > [noun] > slack part of rope slatcha1625 slack1867 the world > relative properties > relationship > equality or equivalence > be or become equal [verb (intransitive)] > compensate supererogate1582 compensate1648 commute1653 compense1825 to take up the slack1930 1794 D. Steel Elements & Pract. Rigging & Seamanship I. 95 Topsails are allowed 3 inches slack in every cloth in the foot. 1825 ‘J. Nicholson’ Operative Mechanic 437 When the sledge is in motion,..it pulls up the slack of the rope from the bottom of the rope-walk. 1867 F. Francis Bk. Angling viii. 246 Gathering the line up..so that no slack hangs about. 1899 F. T. Bullen Log of Sea-waif 89 I sat on the poop beside the tiller, hauling back the slack of the wheel-ropes. 1915 J. London Jacket viii. 63 Jones was forcing his foot into my back in order to cinch me tighter, while I was trying with my muscle to steal slack. 1930 Economist 21 June 1391/2 There is general agreement that the termination of the Stevenson Scheme left the industry with much more ‘slack’ to take up than was realised two years ago. 1933 Sun (Baltimore) 12 Sept. 1/6 The American Federation of Labor..was framing demands for further..wage-boosting to take up employment slack. 1957 Economist 16 Nov. 610/2 Sir Alexander Fleck's investigations may show just how much slack has crept into an organization that should be, if anything, over-cautious. 1967 Times 28 Feb. (Canada Suppl.) 33 There is the feeling that slack will develop as the year progresses. 1972 A. MacVicar Golden Venus Affair vi. 61 It was a comfort having somebody like Mary Jo to take up the slack of decision-making. 1980 B. Paul First Gravedigger v. 60 We'd no longer be handling his speciality... Our new rare books department in London would take up the slack. b. colloquial. The seat of a pair of trousers. ΘΚΠ the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > types or styles of clothing > clothing for legs > clothing for legs and lower body > [noun] > trousers > parts of > seat doup1819 seat1834 slack1848 arse?1859 ass1888 bum1949 1848 J. R. Lowell Biglow Papers 1st Ser. ii To take a feller up jest by the slack o' 's trowsis. 1879 E. Waugh Chimney Corner 229 I took it bi th' slack o'th' breeches, an' chuck't it into th' poand. c. to give (or cut) (a person) some slack, to show (a person) understanding or restraint, to give (one) a chance. U.S. slang (chiefly Black English). ΘΚΠ the mind > emotion > compassion > feel pity for [verb (transitive)] > have mercy upon sparec825 milceeOE arec1000 i-milcec1000 to have (also take) mercy on (also upon, of)a1225 to show (also do) mercy (to)a1225 methec1225 savea1382 miltha1400 tender1442 to take to (also into) mercy1523 mercify1596 bemercy1660 to give (or cut) (a person) some slack1968 1968 M. F. Jackmon in Jones & Neal Black Fire (1969) 555 Say, baby, light'n up on me—gimme some slack. 1969 H. R. Brown Die Nigger Die! ii. 29 Now, if the brother couldn't come back behind that, I usually cut him some slack. 1971 Current Slang (Univ. S. Dakota) Winter 3 Cut me some slack!, to give one a chance. (imperative.) 1973 Black World May 39/1 Tradesmen give them no slack in the unfamiliar bargaining processes. 5. plural. Trousers. Now spec. loosely-cut trousers for informal wear, esp. those worn by women. ΘΚΠ the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > types or styles of clothing > clothing for legs > clothing for legs and lower body > [noun] > trousers > types of > wide or loose slops1481 shipman's hose1540 slop1560 shipman's breek1563 drawers1567 kelsouns1568 scaling1577 scavilones1577 scabilonian1600 calzoons1615 linings1631 swabber-slopsa1658 pantaloon1686 underslops1737 trousers1773 pyjamas1801 Cossacks1820 Turkish trousers1821 hakama1822 salwar1824 slacks1824 sherwal1844 overall1845 bag1853 sack-pants1856 bloomer1862 trouser skirt1883 petticoat trousers1885 mompe1908 step-in1922 bombachas1936 baggies1962 jams1966 palazzo1970 hose- 1824 in Spirit of Public Jrnls. (1825) 346 His inexpressibles (drab slacks) were napless. 1852 R. S. Surtees Mr. Sponge's Sporting Tour viii. xlii. 238 Formidable in ‘slacks’, as he called his trousers. 1889 Pall Mall Gaz. 28 Sept. 7/2 Eight nice little British sailors, in eight nice little pairs of white pants, called slacks. 1932 D. L. Sayers Have his Carcase ii. 31 He wore a pair of old flannel slacks, and a khaki shirt. 1937 Night & Day 29 July 22/2 Deeply to be deplored are such things as sandals..slacks and sun-top dresses. 1942 A. Christie Body in Libr. xii. 139 She was wearing grey slacks and an emerald jumper. 1947 W. S. Maugham Creatures of Circumstance 303 He changed from his business clothes into slacks and an old coat. 1956 A. H. Compton Atomic Quest i. 32 Dressed casually in slacks and a sweater, he invited me cordially into his study. 1966 J. Betjeman High & Low 56 The debs may turn disdainful backs On Pearl's uncouth mechanic slacks. 1968 Listener 10 Dec. 790/3 In Jordan, girls at Amman University have been instructed not to wear..slacks either, and, moreover, to keep off heavy make-up. 1979 R. Jaffe Class Reunion (1980) i. i. 27 Nor could you wear slacks or any other sort of pants to class, even in the snow. 6. dialect and U.S. colloquial. Impertinence, cheek. ΘΚΠ the mind > emotion > pride > impudence > [noun] > speech sauce malapert1529 petulancea1652 jaw1748 snash1786 slack-jaw1797 slang1805 gob1807 lip1821 cheek1825 slack1825 sass1841 back-talk1858 back sass1883 mouth1891 slack lip1899 back-chat1901 chin1902 slop1952 1825 J. Neal Brother Jonathan I. 156 ‘None o' your slack,’ says I..‘none o' your pokin' fun at me.’ 1842 H. J. Daniel Bride of Scio 177 in Eng. Dial. Dict Howld tha slack! Yer tongue young chap's too saucy. 1876 T. Hardy Hand of Ethelberta II. xlvi. 236 Let's have none of your slack. 1901 Munsey's Mag. 24 481/2 I've taken a lot of your slack for a month or two, and I'm..gettin' somewhat peevish. 7. Prosody. A syllable or part of a foot which does not receive stress. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > the arts > literature > poetry > versification > rhythm > [noun] > beat > thesis thesisa1398 slacka1889 dip1894 a1889 G. M. Hopkins Poems (1918) Pref. 1 Every foot has one principal stress or accent, and this or the syllable it falls on may be called the Stress of the foot and the other part, the one or two unaccented syllables, the Slack. 1970 J. Malof Man. Eng. Meters i. 2 In the freer varieties of accentual verse, meter is determined simply by counting the number of stresses in the line.., ignoring the relatively unemphatic or unstressed syllables, which we call slacks. 1973 Word 1970 26 56 None or as many as six slacks may appear between such isochronous accents, though one, two, or three slacks are more normal. 8. A street-walker or prostitute. slang. ΘΚΠ society > morality > moral evil > licentiousness > unchastity > prostitution > [noun] > a prostitute meretrixOE whoreOE soiled dovea1250 common womanc1330 putec1384 bordel womanc1405 putaina1425 brothelc1450 harlot?a1475 public womanc1510 naughty pack?1529 draba1533 cat1535 strange woman1535 stew1552 causey-paikera1555 putanie?1566 drivelling1570 twigger1573 punka1575 hackney1579 customer1583 commodity1591 streetwalker1591 traffic1591 trug1591 hackster1592 polecat1593 stale1593 mermaid1595 medlar1597 occupant1598 Paphian1598 Winchester goose1598 pagan1600 hell-moth1602 aunt1604 moll1604 prostitution1605 community1606 miss1606 night-worm1606 bat1607 croshabell1607 prostitute1607 pug1607 venturer1607 nag1608 curtal1611 jumbler1611 land-frigate1611 walk-street1611 doll-common1612 turn-up1612 barber's chaira1616 commonera1616 public commonera1616 trader1615 venturea1616 stewpot1616 tweak1617 carry-knave1623 prostibule1623 fling-dusta1625 mar-taila1625 night-shadea1625 waistcoateera1625 night trader1630 coolera1632 meretrician1631 painted ladya1637 treadle1638 buttock1641 night-walker1648 mob?1650 lady (also girl, etc.) of the game1651 lady of pleasure1652 trugmullion1654 fallen woman1659 girlc1662 high-flyer1663 fireship1665 quaedama1670 small girl1671 visor-mask1672 vizard-mask1672 bulker1673 marmalade-madam1674 town miss1675 town woman1675 lady of the night1677 mawks1677 fling-stink1679 Whetstone whore1684 man-leech1687 nocturnal1693 hack1699 strum1699 fille de joie1705 market-dame1706 screw1725 girl of (the) town1733 Cytherean1751 street girl1764 monnisher1765 lady of easy virtue1766 woman (also lady) of the town1766 kennel-nymph1771 chicken1782 stargazer1785 loose fish1809 receiver general1811 Cyprian1819 mollya1822 dolly-mop1834 hooker1845 charver1846 tail1846 horse-breaker1861 professional1862 flagger1865 cocodette1867 cocotte1867 queen's woman1871 common prostitute1875 joro1884 geisha1887 horizontal1888 flossy1893 moth1896 girl of the pavement1900 pross1902 prossie1902 pusher1902 split-arse mechanic1903 broad1914 shawl1922 bum1923 quiff1923 hustler1924 lady of the evening1924 prostie1926 working girl1928 prostisciutto1930 maggie1932 brass1934 brass nail1934 mud kicker1934 scupper1935 model1936 poule de luxe1937 pro1937 chromo1941 Tom1941 pan-pan1949 twopenny upright1958 scrubber1959 slack1959 yum-yum girl1960 Suzie Wong1962 mattress1964 jamette1965 ho1966 sex worker1971 pavement princess1976 parlour girl1979 crack whore1990 1959 Encounter May 24 Slack, which is the call-girls' word for a street-girl. 1963 Observer 29 Sept. 31/4 A young master was asked by a boy..‘Can a slack (prostitute) work hard enough to earn a living?’ 1965 W. Young Eros Denied xiv. 141 The slack is afraid of disease, and afraid of the sex maniac who thinks it'd be fun to strangle her. Compounds slack suit n. a pair of slacks with a matching jacket, as a fashionable garment for women. ΘΚΠ the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > types or styles of clothing > set or suit of clothes > [noun] > for specific people > for women > trouser suit trouser suit1898 slack suit1940 pants suit1964 pantsuit1964 1940 R. Chandler Farewell, my Lovely xxvii. 203 Miss Anne Riordan stood there, in a pale green slack suit. 1973 H. Nielsen Severed Key viii. 91 She had..changed into a lime-green knitted slack-suit. slack variable n. Mathematics a variable which expresses the difference between the two sides of an inequality. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > number > probability or statistics > [noun] > variable variable1816 variate1909 random variable1914 random variate1914 explanatory variable1939 predictor1943 regressor1953 slack variable1953 1953 Cooper & Henderson Introd. Linear Programming i. ii. 6 These values λi (i = 10,11,…16) so introduced may be referred to as slack variables... The requirement that the slack variables be non-negative merely extends the range of the subscript. 1974 P. R. Adby & M. A. H. Dempster Introd. Optimization Methods v. 156 At least some evidence exists which suggests that the use of slack variables is an effective method for handling inequality constraints, both linear and non-linear. This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1911; most recently modified version published online March 2021). slackadj.adv. A. adj. I. Senses relating to people who lack energy or diligence, and related uses. 1. a. Of persons: lacking in energy or diligence; inclined to be lazy or idle; remiss, careless; negligent or lax in regard to one's duties. ΘΚΠ the world > health and disease > ill health > [adjective] > in state of ill health or diseased untrumc825 sickc888 unwholec888 slackc897 unstronga900 sicklea1000 sam-halea1023 worseOE attaint1303 languishinga1325 heallessc1374 sicklyc1374 sicklewa1387 bada1393 mishalea1400 languoring?c1425 distempered1440 unwell?c1450 detent?a1475 poora1475 languorousc1475 maladif1481 illa1500 maladiousc1500 wanthriven1508 attainted1509 unsound1513 acrazed1521 cracked1527 unsoundya1529 visited1537 infirmed1552 crazed1555 healthless1568 ill-liking1572 afflicted1574 crazy1576 unhealthful1580 sickish1581 valetudinary1581 not well1587 fainty1590 ill-disposed1596 unhealthsome1598 tainted1600 ill-affected1604 peaking1611 unhealthy1611 infirmited1616 disaffected1626 physical1633 illish1637 pimping1640 invalid1642 misaffected1645 valetudinarious1648 unhale1653 badly1654 unwholesome1655 valetudinous1655 morbulent1656 off the hooksa1658 mawkish1668 morbid1668 unthriven1680 unsane1690 ailing1716 not wellish1737 underlya1742 poorly1750 indifferent1753 comical1755 maladized1790 sober1808 sickened1815 broken-down1816 peaky1821 poorlyish1827 souffrante1827 run-down1831 sicklied1835 addle1844 shaky1844 mean1845 dauncy1846 stricken1846 peakyish1853 po'ly1860 pindling1861 rough1882 rocky1883 suffering1885 wabbit1895 icky-boo1920 like death warmed up1924 icky1938 ropy1945 crappy1956 hanging1971 sick as a parrot1982 shite1987 the world > action or operation > manner of action > carelessness > [adjective] > indiligent or remiss nesheOE slackc897 undreigha1350 dissolutea1382 defaultyc1390 defaultive1398 remissivec1487 remissa1500 slakea1538 undiligent1564 unindustrious1599 discinct1604 unofficious1611 inindustriousa1631 indiligent1633 lax1812 remissful1836 c897 K. Ælfred tr. Gregory Pastoral Care xvii. 125 Ðæt he..ne sie to stræc on ðære lare, ne to slæc on ðære mildheortnesse. OE Beowulf 2187 Geata bearn..wendon, þæt he sleac wære, æðeling unfrom. c1055 Byrhtferth's Handboc in Anglia (1885) 8 317 Þæt þam sleacan preoste ne þince to mycel geswinc þæt he undo his eagan herto. 1340 Ayenbite (1866) 32 Huanne he is ontrewe, sleuuol,..uoryetinde, slak, and fallinde. c1386 G. Chaucer Shipman's Tale 413 Ye han mo slakkere dettours than am I. c1400 Gamelyn 711 Allas! seide Gamelyn, þat euer I was so slak That I ne hadde broke his nekke. 1492 in S. Tymms Wills & Inventories Bury St. Edmunds (1850) 78 Yf he se othyr be slakke or necligent. 1535 Bible (Coverdale) Hab. ii. A For in very dede he wil come, and not be slacke. 1577 W. Harrison Descr. Eng. (1877) ii. i. i. 18 If they haue been found to be slacke, their negligence is openlie reprooued. 1621 R. Burton Anat. Melancholy iii. ii. v. v. 654 Many slacke & carelesse parents..measure their childrens affections by thier own. 1667 J. Dryden Indian Emperour iii. i. 28 The truce will make the Guards more slack. 1741 J. Wesley Wks. (1872) I. 304 I put those of the women who were grown slack, into distinct Bands. 1793 A. Mann Let. 28 Oct. in H. Ellis Orig. Lett. Eminent Literary Men (1843) 438 A Government unhinged, an exhausted Treasury, and slack Allies. 1827 B. Disraeli Vivian Grey IV. vi. ii. 61 When you complained that you and meat had been but slack friends of late. 1888 J. Bryce Amer. Commonw. II. xlix. 255 In such parts of the West.., if the sheriff is distant or slack, lynch law may usefully be invoked. b. With various constructions, esp. in with gerund or noun, and to with infinitive. Also †slack of, short of (quot. 1608). ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > failure or lack of success > unsuccessful [phrase] > shortcoming short of or from1560 slack of1608 c1000 Ælfric Homilies II. 100 Se ðe on oðrum dagum sleac wære to godnysse. c1000 in Anglia (1889) 11 117 Handa mine..synd..sleace to ænig wyrcenne god. 1535 T. Starkey Let. ?Aug. in Eng. in Reign Henry VIII (1878) i. p. xxiv I perceyue you haue byn slakker in wrytyng bycause you mor lokyd for ferther instructyon. 1535 Bible (Coverdale) Eccl. v. 4 Yf thou make a vowe vnto God, be not slacke to perfourme it. 1608 W. Shakespeare King Lear iii. 9 If you come slacke of former seruices, You shall doe well, the fault of it ile answere. View more context for this quotation 1681 H. More Plain Expos. Daniel (1782) ii. 97 Thy purged eye will see God is not slack..to fulfil his word. 1703 Clarendon's Hist. Rebellion II. vi. 96 Neither the King, nor the Parliament, being slack in pursuing the business by the Sword. 1753 G. Washington Jrnl. in Writings (1889) I. 33 The French were not slack in their Inventions to keep the Indians this Day also. 1828 W. Scott Fair Maid of Perth iv, in Chron. Canongate 2nd Ser. I. 94 The sturdy armourer was not..slack in keeping the appointment. 1867 S. Smiles Huguenots Eng. & Ireland vii. 169 Louis was not slack in obeying the injunction. 1870 E. A. Freeman Hist. Norman Conquest (ed. 2) I. App. 694 Florence..was not slack at attributing crimes to Eadric. c. Slow in coming; tardy, late. rare. ΘΚΠ the world > time > a suitable time or opportunity > untimeliness > [adjective] > late lateOE latefulc1384 tediousc1485 overlate1574 tarde1609 tardy1667 belated1670 sero1682 late in the day1689 slack1694 1694 L. Echard tr. Plautus Amphitryon iv. v, in tr. Plautus Comedies 53 An empty Belly and a slack Guest, makes one as mad as the Devil. 2. Not busy; having little work, etc. (Cf. A. 6.) ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > working > [adjective] > working > not busy slack1834 1834 Tait's Edinb. Mag. New Ser. 1 421/2 There are plenty of empty or slack hotels in Edinburgh that would answer your purpose. 1861 C. Dickens Great Expectations I. xv. 237 As we are rather slack just now, if you would give me a half-holiday. 1870 G. C. T. Bartley One Square Mile East-end London 54 He would not mind when in work, but when slack he thought they should go free. II. Senses relating to things that are weak or lacking vitality. 3. Of conduct, actions, etc.: Characterized by remissness or lack of energy. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > [adjective] > not vigorous or lively slackc900 sapless1598 unquickened1610 invital1650 down1873 the world > action or operation > manner of action > carelessness > [adjective] > indiligent or remiss > characterized by indiligence or renissness slackc900 remiss?1504 unassiduous1776 c900 tr. Bede Eccl. Hist. v. xv. 442 Ðiode he swiðe druncennisse & mongum oðrum unalefednessum ðæs slæcran lifes. c960 Rule St. Benet (Schröer) xviii. 44 Hit is ealles to sleac munuca þeowdom..gif hie læsse singað on þære wucan. c1000 Ælfric Homilies I. 602 We sceolon asceacan ðone sleacan slæp us fram. 1534 T. More Treat. Passion in Wks. 1312/2 Their fastynges were also verye paynefull and precyse: and ours neglygent, slacke, and remysse. ?1577 J. Northbrooke Spiritus est Vicarius Christi: Treat. Dicing 1 The cause of my slacke and seldome comming to the Church. 1608 E. Topsell Hist. Serpents 136 If they will decypher..a slow and slacke victory, they picture a Scorpion. 1611 Bible (King James) Prov. x. 4 He becommeth poor that dealeth with a slacke hand. View more context for this quotation 1848 W. Irving Hist. N.Y. vii. i, in Wks. VII. vii. i. 380 The slack though fitful reign of William the Testy. 1855 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. IV. xxi. 566 The correspondence gradually became more and more slack. 1857 H. T. Buckle Hist. Civilisation Eng. I. xiv. 820 Some very great men have effected absolutely nothing, not because their labour was slack, but because their method was sterile. 4. Of pace: Slow; not smart or hurried. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > manner of action > slowness of action or operation > [adjective] lateeOE slackc1000 slowc1225 heavya1400 lent14.. slowfulc1400 sloth1412 latesomea1425 sluggedc1430 sluggingc1430 tardy1483 lingeringa1547 tarde1547 sleuth1567 snailish1581 slow-moving1592 lagging1597 snail-paced1597 snail-slow1600 slow-pacing1616 snail-like1639 sluggish1640 ignave1657 languishing1693 slow-stepping1793 lentitudinous1801 somnolent1812 slow-coachish1844 tardigradous1866 vermigrade1938 slow-cooking1968 the world > movement > rate of motion > slowness > [adjective] > specifically of things or actions slackc1000 slowa1300 lent14.. slow-paced1610 adagio1729 vermigrade1938 the world > movement > rate of motion > slowness > [adjective] > of pace slackc1000 amblinga1470 softly1572 slow-paced1610 downtempo1972 c1000 Ælfric Homilies II. 138 Sum oðer munuc..mid sleaccre stalcunge his fotswaðum filigde. c1405 (c1385) G. Chaucer Knight's Tale (Hengwrt) (2003) l. 2037 The nobleste of the Grekys..carieden the beere With slak paas. 1682 J. Dryden Medall 4 Their pace was formal, grave and slack. 1719 D. Defoe Life Robinson Crusoe 283 As he came nearer, I found his Pace was slacker, because he had something in his Hand. 1843 C. Dickens Martin Chuzzlewit (1844) v. 59 His companion slackened the slack pace of the horse. 5. a. Comparatively weak or slow in operation; deficient in strength or activity; dull. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > [adjective] > not vigorous or lively > not vigorous enough or as expected slack1398 laxc1450 mild1612 1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomew de Glanville De Proprietatibus Rerum (Bodl.) v. xxxvi Whanne þe vertu is feble and slake it may nought sprede þe woosen and veynes into euerich place and side of þe body. ?c1400 (c1380) G. Chaucer tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. (BL Add. 10340) (1868) iii. met. ii. l. 1851 Wiþ slakke and delitable soun of strenges. 1547 A. Borde Breuiary of Helthe i. f. xxviiv This infyrmite doth come thorowe euyll, slake, or slowe dygestion. 1678 S. Butler Hudibras: Third Pt. iii. ii. 95 Rebellion now began for lack Of Zeal and Plunder to grow slack. 1718 M. Prior Poems Several Occasions (new ed.) 8 The moral Spaniard's ebbing Veins, By Study worn, and slack with Age. 1786 F. Burney Diary 7 Aug. (1842) III. 63 I pretended not to understand him. I am forced to that method of slack comprehension continually. 1826 D. Booth Art of Brewing (ed. 2) 15 Many brewers hesitate in applying what are called slack liquors, lest their worts should be foul. 1827 J. Bentham Rationale Judicial Evid. IV. viii. iv. 81 It may be imagined whether imitation is in danger of being slack. 1865 M. Arnold Ess. Crit. v. 167 The culture of Germany,—so wide,..that it is apt to become slack and powerless. b. Of heat, etc.: Not strong or excessive; gentle, moderate. ΘΚΠ the world > matter > properties of materials > temperature > heat > [adjective] > gentle or moderate slack1495 the world > relative properties > quantity > moderateness of quantity, amount, or degree > [adjective] evenlya1200 methefully?c1225 renable?1305 reasonablea1325 measurablec1330 skillwisea1340 moderatea1398 temperate1398 meetlya1400 measurablyc1450 rationablec1475 competent1535 midway1573 modest1582 sober1619 medious1657 slack1662 meeverly1819 low key1941 1495 Trevisa's Barth. De P.R. ix. xv. 356 Thys monthe [July] the heete is stronge in the begynnynge and slacker in the ende. 1662 J. Chandler tr. J. B. van Helmont Oriatrike 57 They give the greatest coldness to the water, with a slack or mean moystness. 1735 Dict. Polygraph. at Varnish Harden it..first with a slack heat, the next with a warmer, and the third with a very hot one. 1736 Compl. Family-piece i. iii. 165 Set them in a slack Oven till they are tender. 1892 Daily News 11 Mar. 5/8 Three-fourths of the blast furnaces have been put on slack blast. c. Of wind, or tide: Blowing, or running, with very little strength or speed. ΘΚΠ the world > the earth > weather and the atmosphere > weather > wind > [adjective] > gentle plaina1425 small1542 soft-footed1603 supple1648 favonian1656 zephyrian1661 slack1670 zephyrousa1750 zephyry1791 zephyrean1793 the world > the earth > water > flow or flowing > tide > type of tide > [adjective] > slack spentc1595 slack1670 1670 J. Milton Hist. Brit. ii. 41 Cæsar..about sun sett hoysing saile with a slack South-West, at midnight was becalm'd. 1816 H. Douglas Ess. Mil. Bridges iv. 122 Pontoons used as row-boats when the tide was slack. 1817 S. T. Coleridge Satyrane's Lett. in Biogr. Lit. i The wind continuing slack. 1892 W. C. Russell List, ye Landsmen xi The breeze has fallen slack. 6. a. Of work, etc.: Not brisk or active. ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > business affairs > [adjective] > of business: slack slack1813 slow1823 1813 Sporting Mag. 42 119 When betting became slack. 1821 J. Clare Village Minstrel I. 17 Discourses..'Bout work being slack, and rise and fall of bread. 1873 C. Robinson New S. Wales 50 The work..is not always continuous as the demand is sometimes slack. b. Of times: Characterized by inactivity or dullness in work or business. ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > business affairs > [adjective] > of business: slack > characterized by slack1828 1828 W. Carr Dial. Craven (ed. 2) (at cited word) Slack times. 1833 H. Martineau Manch. Strike (new ed.) ix. 99 A slack season in which many workmen remain unemployed. 1894 Field 1 Dec. 838/2 There would be a slack three weeks between two of the fruit crops. III. Held or holding loosely; relaxed, open, and related uses. 7. a. Not drawn or held tightly or tensely; relaxed, loose. ΘΚΠ the world > life > the body > skin > textures or states of skin > [adjective] > loose slackc1386 loosec1460 the world > matter > constitution of matter > softness > types of softness > [adjective] > slack or not tense slakec1374 slackc1386 remiss?a1425 loosec1460 relax1605 lax1660 stray1791 relaxed1825 unstraitened1859 unstrained1882 tensionless1905 c1386 G. Chaucer Merchant's Tale 605 The slakke skyn aboute his nekke shaketh. c1400 (?a1300) Kyng Alisaunder (Laud) (1952) l. 1250 Þe stedes rennen wiþ slake bridlen. c1440 Promptorium Parvulorum 317/2 Lusch, or slak, laxus. 1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 324/1 Slacke, nat fast togyther, lasche. 1579 E. Spenser Shepheardes Cal. Mar. 83 His..siluer bowe, which was but slacke. 1621 in W. Foster Eng. Factories India 1618–21 (1906) I. 272 In the morning wee bore a slack saile. 1687 A. Lovell tr. J. de Thévenot Trav. into Levant ii. 4 The Stays were very slack, being loosened by the force of the Wind the day before. 1798 W. S. Landor Gebir vii. 52 The slack cordage rattles round the mast. 1819 S. Cooper First Lines Pract. Surg. (ed. 4) I. i. xvi. 179 It was an invariable rule with me to be sure that the bandage was slack. 1879 J. Beerbohm Wanderings in Patagonia iii. 29 The slack canvas being no longer water-tight, little pools of water gathered round the furs and saddle-cloths. b. In figurative contexts. ΚΠ 1590 R. Hitchcock tr. F. Sansovino Quintesence of Wit f. 13 Wicked men let slacke their raines with liberty to follow vice. 1648 in E. Nicholas Papers (1886) I. 104 To reward merritt and punish offenders.., not letting slacke the raignes. 1873 R. Browning Red Cotton Night-cap Country ii. 101 Somewhere must a screw be slack! c. Free from confinement. rare. ΘΚΠ society > authority > lack of subjection > freedom or liberty > [adjective] > free from confinement freeOE deliverc1300 loose1303 unironedc1450 unbandoned1487 slack1565 unshut1610 unpinioned1621 unthronged1648 untrapped1648 unconfined1649 footloose1702 unensnareda1711 uncaged1731 unlockeda1740 unfettered1748 uncramped1797 unshackled1816 unleashed1825 foot-free1837 unhandcuffed1861 1565 A. Golding tr. Ovid Fyrst Fower Bks. Metamorphosis i. f. 4v Eche one of them vnlosde his spring, and let his waters slacke. d. Not contracted; open, wide. rare. ΚΠ 1577 B. Googe tr. C. Heresbach Foure Bks. Husbandry ii. f. 73v You must take heede..that the cleft be not to slacke nor to strayt. e. Phonetics. Of a vowel: = lax adj. 5c. ΘΚΠ the mind > language > linguistics > study of speech sound > speech sound > vowel > [adjective] > types of openeOE sharp?1533 simple1582 small1599 soft1625 obscurea1637 round1710 slender1755 close1760 wide1824 lowered1836 narrow1844 labialized1856 orinasal1856 central1857 reduced1861 free1864 high1867 low1867 mid1867 mixed1867 rounded1867 unrounded1871 raised1876 unreduced1894 obscured1897 spread1902 lax1909 slack1909 tense1909 centralized1926 flat1934 r-coloured1935 checked1943 1909 H. C. Wyld Elem. Lessons Eng. Gram. ii. 28 Vowels formed with the tongue tense we call Tense Vowels, those with the tongue soft we call Slack Vowels. 1934 C. Davies Eng. Pronunc. 8 It was probably a slack, round mid-back, vowel. 1970 B. M. H. Strang Hist. Eng. 285 The letter æ represents a long, low, slack front vowel /æ:/ in dælan. 8. Lacking cohesiveness or solidity; not compact or firm; crumbling, loose; soft. ΘΚΠ the world > matter > constitution of matter > lack of density > [adjective] > loose texture > lacking cohesion slackc1440 running1598 incoherent1695 incohering1713 shaken1747 incohesive1881 c1440 Pallad. on Husb. ix. 72 Slak [v.r. sclak] sonde, lymous and lene, vnswete & depe. 1608 E. Topsell Hist. Serpents 269 Of these Cobwebs..some..are loose, weake, slacke, and not well bound: other contrarywise well compacted. 1830 M. Donovan Domest. Econ. I. iv. 91 When malt which has been thus sprinkled remains some time in store, it grows soft, or slack, as it is called. 1897 Daily News 29 Dec. 4/7 The mud, which was a cake during the frost, became slack dough with the thaw. 9. a. Of the hand: Not holding or grasping firmly. Also in figurative context. ΘΚΠ the world > space > relative position > posture > action of placing or holding body in relaxed posture > [adjective] > specific part of body relaxed?a1425 lank1637 slack1667 1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost ix. 892 From his slack hand the Garland wreath'd for Eve Down drop'd. View more context for this quotation 1723 D. Defoe Hist. Col. Jack (ed. 2) 187 A slack Hand has..been held upon them. 1726 E. Fenton in A. Pope et al. tr. Homer Odyssey IV. xix. 547 Down dropp'd the leg, from her slack hand releas'd. 1853 W. C. Bryant Poems (new ed.) 65 His slack hand Drops the drawn knife. 1871 F. T. Palgrave Lyrical Poems 120 Some finish'd thing, Ere the slack hands at eve Drop, should be his to leave. b. Similarly of one's hold of anything. ΚΠ 1836 E. B. Barrett Poet's Vow in New Monthly Mag. Oct. 211 A somewhat slacker hold. 1876 S. Smiles Life Sc. Naturalist ii. 29 Her hold getting a little slacker, he made a sudden bolt. B. adv. a. In a slack manner; loosely, slackly. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > manner of action > carelessness > [adverb] > without diligence slowlyeOE slacklyc960 unduly1423 remissly1533 slenderly?1542 dissolutely1553 indiligentlya1631 slack1641 undiligently1645 unindustriously1659 the world > action or operation > manner of action > slowness of action or operation > [adverb] lateeOE latelyOE heavilyc1000 hoolya1340 slowlyc1384 slowa1398 sluggedlyc1450 tarryingly1530 loiteringly1547 sluggishly1565 languishingly1579 limpingly1579 lingeringly1589 tarde1598 unnimbly1607 longsomelyc1610 tardilya1616 languidly1655 heavy1701 slack1854 snailishly1889 tharfly1894 pole pole1902 weedy-slow1921 society > occupation and work > business affairs > [adverb] > slack slack1854 slackly1884 the world > movement > rate of motion > slowness > [adverb] > tardily or sluggishly slacklyc960 latelyOE heavilyc1000 hoolya1340 sluggedlyc1450 sluggishlyc1450 tarryingly1530 loiteringly1547 tediously1557 languishingly1579 limpingly1579 lingeringly1589 unnimbly1607 longsomelyc1610 tardilya1616 a-sluga1620 sluggingly1653 languidly1655 dilatorily1700 heavy1701 lagginglyc1817 laggardly1835 slack1854 slackly1884 logily1912 1641 J. Milton Of Reformation 9 Persecuting the Protestants no slacker then the Pope would have done. 1658 W. Johnson tr. F. Würtz Surgeons Guid v. 357 It is better they [the joints] be bound slack a whole week, than too hard one hour. 1712 J. James tr. A.-J. Dézallier d'Argenville Theory & Pract. Gardening 81 Makes the Joint go stiffer, or slacker, at Pleasure. 1854 A. E. Baker Gloss. Northants. Words II. 242 Tradesmen..say, ‘Money comes in very slack’. b. With past participles, as slack-done, slack-dried, slack-laid, slack-salted, slack-sized, slack-spun, slack-tethered. ΚΠ 1669 J. Worlidge Systema Agriculturæ viii. 133 A handfull of slack dryed Hops will marr, and spoyl many pounds. 1794 D. Steel Elements & Pract. Rigging & Seamanship I. 56 Slack-laid means slack-twisted. 1794 D. Steel Elements & Pract. Rigging & Seamanship I. 59 If slack-spun, it will break. 1854 A. E. Baker Gloss. Northants. Words II. 242 Anything dressed before a slack fire, or in a slow oven, as ‘slack-done meat’. 1862 G. Rawlinson Five Great Monarchies: Chaldæa I. v. 91 A third [brick], the coarsest of all, is slack-dried, and of a pale red. 1922 J. Joyce Ulysses ii. vi. [Hades] 95 On the towpath by the lock a slacktethered horse. Compounds C1. Special collocations. slack barrel n. one made to hold dry goods. ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > equipment > receptacle or container > vessel > barrel or cask > [noun] > for non-liquids meal fat1360 dryfat1526 yoting vat1543 vat1766 slack barrel1877 slack cask1877 1877 Encycl. Brit. VI. 338/2 Slack barrels are..extensively employed. slack cask n. = slack barrel n. ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > equipment > receptacle or container > vessel > barrel or cask > [noun] > for non-liquids meal fat1360 dryfat1526 yoting vat1543 vat1766 slack barrel1877 slack cask1877 1877 Encycl. Brit. VI. 338/1 Tight or wet and dry or slack cask manufacture. slack-course n. (see quot. 1875). ΚΠ 1875 E. H. Knight Amer. Mech. Dict. III. 2197/2 Slack-course (Knitting-machine), a range of loops or stitches more open than those which precede them. slack helm n. (see quot. 1867). ΚΠ 1867 W. H. Smyth & E. Belcher Sailor's Word-bk. 630 Slack helm, if the ship is too much by the stern, she will carry her helm too much a-lee. slack key adj. [translating Hawaiian kī hō‘alu, < kī key + hō‘alu slack] Music used absol. and attributively, esp. as slack-key guitar, with reference to a style of guitar-playing originating in Hawaii, in which the strings are slightly relaxed to produce strong bass resonances. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > the arts > music > performing music > playing instruments > playing stringed instrument > [noun] > guitar techniques slidec1608 rasgado1876 fingerstyle1923 bottleneck1928 fingerpicking1956 bottleneck style1959 bottleneck playing1968 slide guitar1968 bottleneck slide guitar1973 chicken scratch1974 slack key1975 1975 G. S. Kanahele in Ha‘ilono Mele (Hawaiian Music Found.) Jan. 2/2 Our first concert [in 1972] was memorable. It featured the slack key guitar, the first time that an entire concert was devoted to the unique style of playing. 1976 Guitar Player Apr. 14/2 The original style is kept alive solely by those guitarists who insist on playing only slack key. 1977 Zigzag Mar. 20/1 Could you explain about slack-key guitar? slack lip n. = slack-jaw n. ΘΚΠ the mind > emotion > suffering > feeling of weariness or tedium > [noun] > tedious or dull talk humdrum1727 slack-jaw1797 slack lip1899 the mind > emotion > pride > impudence > [noun] > speech sauce malapert1529 petulancea1652 jaw1748 snash1786 slack-jaw1797 slang1805 gob1807 lip1821 cheek1825 slack1825 sass1841 back-talk1858 back sass1883 mouth1891 slack lip1899 back-chat1901 chin1902 slop1952 1899 F. T. Bullen Log of Sea-waif ix. 104 No man durst give him ‘slack lip’ on pain of being instantly knocked endways. slack party n. Nautical slang (see quots.). ΘΚΠ society > armed hostility > military organization > [noun] > punishments fatigue1776 rack-lashing1822 pack-drill1836 shot-drill1864 jankers1916 slack party1933 1933 J. Masefield Conway iv. 145 For official punishments there was an institution known as ‘slack party’, which meant employment upon every available job..from morning till night. 1945 ‘Tackline’ Holiday Sailor 133 Jimmy's pet form of punishment was his ‘slack party’. Hands tardy in going on watch or performing some allotted task with lack of zeal were enrolled in the slack party. And the slack party did not lead an especially restful existence. slack sail n. (cf. slack n.3 4a). ΚΠ 1621 in W. Foster Eng. Factories India 1618–21 (1906) 272 In the morning wee bore a slack saile. 1867 W. H. Smyth & E. Belcher Sailor's Word-bk. at Slab-lines They are used to truss up the slack sail, after it has been ‘disarmed’ by the leech and bunt-lines. 1883 Man. Seamanship for Boys 129 If the slacksail was allowed to hang down abaft the yard in a gale, and beat about, it would chafe the sail through. 1886 Encycl. Brit. XXI. 154/2 Where slack sail has to be taken in, it is the practice to leave it to the judgement of the sailmaker. slack wire n. a wire not drawn tight, on which an acrobat performs. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > acrobatic performance > [noun] > rope-walking or dancing > rope or wire ropeeOE low rope?c1635 slack-rope1749 slack wire1753 tightrope1801 blondin1863 high wire1863 slackline2002 1753 N.-Y. Mercury 20 Aug. 3/3 The Surprizing Performances of the celebrated Anthony Joseph Dugee..On a Slack Wire scarcely perceptible and without a Balance. 1825 W. Hone Every-day Bk. (1826) I. 1185 Another female danced on the slack-wire. 1866 M. Mackintosh Stage Reminisc. xi. 138 Andrew was at once a good tight-rope dancer and slack-wire vaulter. 1977 E. Ambler Send no More Roses viii. 183 A slack-wire baggy-pants act out of a third-rate circus. C2. a. Parasynthetic adjectives, as slack-backed, slack-fingered, slack-haired, slack-hammed, slack-handed, slack-jawed, slack-mouthed, etc. ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > expectation > feeling of wonder, astonishment > [adjective] > open-mouthed with open mouth1548 open-mouthed?1606 slack-jawed1642 slack-mouthed1642 the world > life > the body > external parts of body > head > face > mouth > [adjective] > open-mouthed yawningc890 galpingc1386 open-mouthed?1533 gaping1594 wide-mouth?c1599 mouthed1609 slack-jawed1642 slack-mouthed1642 open-mouth1702 wide-mouthed1776 gapish1850 1642 D. Rogers Naaman 301 Debaucht and slacke hayred companions. a1661 B. Holyday tr. Juvenal Satyres (1673) 20 O, there's a monstrous league between these soft And slack-ham'd pathicks! 1669 J. Flavell Husbandry Spiritualized i. i. 22 What, now slack handed, when so neer to my everlasting rest! 1796 Grose's Classical Dict. Vulgar Tongue (ed. 3) at Slag A slack-mettled fellow, one not ready to resent an affront. 1822 G. W. Manby Voy. Greenland 130 In what are called slack-backed fish. 1880 G. Meredith Tragic Comedians I. vi. 113 This time if I let you slip, may I be stamped slack-fingered! 1897 ‘O. Rhoscomyl’ For White Rose Arno (U.K. ed.) 25 A slack-lipped specimen of the young blood of the period. 1901 R. Kipling Kim iii. 76 Our colonel used to send for slack-jawed down-country men who talked too much. 1936 W. Faulkner Absalom, Absalom! 44 Wild-eyed and considerably slack-mouthed. 1942 W. Faulkner Go down, Moses & Other Stories 32 He stood for perhaps ten seconds, slackjawed with amazed and incredulous comprehension. 1976 P. Cave High Flying Birds iii. 42 I continued to gaze at Sonya with slack-mouthed adoration. 1978 J. Carroll Mortal Friends ii. iii. 170 The people were Catholics nearly to a person, and they stared slack-jawed at the line of nuns. ΘΚΠ the mind > goodness and badness > badness or evil > evil and graceless > [noun] > person gracelessc1405 want-grace1603 slack-grace1623 society > morality > moral evil > evil nature or character > [noun] > reprobacy > person gracelessc1405 castaway1526 losthope?c1550 reprobate1592 want-grace1603 perdu1611 slack-grace1623 1623 R. Carpenter Conscionable Christian 29 Weaklings and slacke-graces, set not their hands to the worke. Draft additions August 2001 a. colloquial (originally Caribbean). derogatory. Of a person, esp. a woman: sexually promiscuous, licentious. Also: immoral, indecent. Cf. loose adj. 7. ΘΚΠ society > morality > moral evil > licentiousness > [adjective] golec888 canga1225 light?c1225 wooinga1382 nicea1387 riota1400 wantonc1400 wrenec1400 lachesc1450 loose?a1500 licentious1555 libertine1560 prostitute1569 riggish1569 wide1574 slipper1581 slippery1586 sportive1595 gay1597 Cyprian1598 suburb1598 waggish1600 smicker1606 suburbian1606 loose-living1607 wantona1627 free-living1632 libertinous1632 loose-lived1641 Corinthian1642 akolastic1656 slight1685 fast1699 freea1731 brisk1740 shy1787 slang1818 randomc1825 fastish1832 loosish1846 slummya1860 velocious1872 fly1880 slack1951 society > morality > moral evil > licentiousness > unchastity > [adjective] > unchaste or sexually compliant (of women) strumpeta1382 jadish1573 comingc1576 short heeled1591 loose in the hilts1598 loose-legged1598 loose-tailed1598 light-tailed1600 overscutched1600 stuprous1603 light-skirted1607 brothelly1608 light-heeled1611 wagtailed1648 loose-hilteda1652 feather-heeleda1674 loose-gowneda1717 frank1744 shake-tail1782 (a woman) of a certain description1803 hetaeric1868 round-heeled1926 floozy?1930 trampy1944 slack1951 slaggy1973 society > morality > moral evil > licentiousness > unchastity > [adjective] > promiscuous harlotry1579 light o' love1589 trolloping1701 promiscuous1804 wutless1853 slutty1912 make-out1949 slack1951 swinging1964 bed-hopping1979 bonking1987 1951 Bim (Barbados) 4 No. 14. 98 The woman muttered a curse and drew her slack self along. 1976 Sunday Chron. (Georgetown, Guyana) 8 Aug. 27 He told me that I must consider him a friend and not as a ‘slack’ doctor. I would like to know if this doctor was trying to exploit my innocence or if it is really his duty to do what he did to me. 1998 P. Gwynne Deadly Unna? x. 57 The only time a girl's name would appear was when one of us wrote it, like ‘Monica is a slut’ or ‘Josie is slack.’ b. Originally Jamaican. Esp. of language: sexually explicit, lewd.Particularly associated with the lyrics or DJ toasts (see toast n.3 2) of reggae, ragga, and dancehall. ΚΠ 1979 ‘General Echo’ (perf. under the name ‘Ranking Slackness’) (title of record) Slackest LP. 1984 New Musical Express 4 Aug. Ringo and the late General Echo, two seriously slack deejays. 1989 J. O. Stewart Drinkers, Drummers, & Decent Folk 152 The young boys took over the center then..with their tampi, and their slack talk. 1997 in S. Barrow & P. Dalton Reggae vii. 307/1 Me nah do slack deejay talk. 2012 Guardian Weekly (Nexis) 17 Aug. 25 Slack lyrics aside, Jamaican pop music is still consistently the most innovative, daring and at times downright bonkers in the world. This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1911; most recently modified version published online March 2022). slackv. I. transitive. 1. a. To be slack or remiss in respect of (some business, duty, etc.); to leave undone or not properly attended to. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > manner of action > carelessness > be careless or heedless of [verb (transitive)] > be remiss about slack1530 loiterc1540 forslack1570 disneglect1800 1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 720/2 Whye slacke you your busynesse thus? 1549 H. Latimer 2nd Serm. before Kynges Maiestie 7th Serm. sig. Ddiiiv What a remorse of conscience shall ye haue, when ye remembre howe ye haue slacked your dutye. 1580 T. Tusser Fiue Hundred Pointes Good Husbandrie (new ed.) f. 37 Who slacketh his tillage, a carter to bee, for grote got abrode, at home lose shall three. 1608 W. Shakespeare King Lear vii. 403 Why not my Lord? if then they chanc'st to slacke you, We could controwle them. View more context for this quotation 1621 F. Quarles Hadassa §2 in Wks. (1880) II. 48/2 But in contempt, she slacks our dread behest, Neglects performance of our deare Request. a1659 R. Brownrig 65 Serm. (1674) I. i. 16 Fear had made him..slack the performance of what he had promised. 1831 W. Scott Castle Dangerous ii, in Tales of my Landlord 4th Ser. IV. 68 My duty has limits, and if I slack it for a day [etc.]. 1886 C. Scott Pract. Sheep-farming 76 Breeding ewes that are kept too well..seldom acquit themselves so well..as those that have been slacked a little in winter. ΘΚΠ the world > time > a suitable time or opportunity > untimeliness > [verb (transitive)] > fail to take advantage of an opportunity waivec1400 slack1548 slipc1592 balka1616 the world > action or operation > inaction > not doing > not do [verb (transitive)] > allow to pass or miss (an opportunity, etc.) overleapa1400 slack1548 slake1560 lapse1667 1548 Hall's Vnion: Henry VII f. xxvijv The occasion of so glorious a victory..was..putte by and shamefully slacked. 1595 S. Daniel First Fowre Bks. Ciuile Warres iii. lxxvi. sig. Qv This good chaunce that this much fauoureth, He slackes not. 1612 T. Taylor Αρχὴν Ἁπάντων: Comm. Epist. Paul to Titus iii. 1 Slacke not this thy tearme-time, but get..knowledge of God. 1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Æneis v, in tr. Virgil Wks. 352 Time calls you now,..Slack not the good Presage. ΘΚΠ the world > time > spending time > spend time or allow time to pass [verb (transitive)] > waste time leese?c1225 losea1340 defer1382 wastea1400 slip1435 consumea1500 superexpend1513 slow?1522 sloth1523 to fode forth1525 slack1548 dree1584 sleuth1584 confound1598 spenda1604 to fret out1608 to spin out1608 misplace1609 spend1614 tavern1628 devast1632 to drill away, on, outa1656 dulla1682 to dally away1685 squander1693 to linger awaya1704 dangle1727 dawdle1768 slim1812 diddle1826 to run out the clock1957 1548 Hall's Vnion: Henry VI f. clxj Like a spedy puruior, whiche slacketh not tyme. 1591 H. Savile tr. Tacitus Ende of Nero: Fower Bks. Hist. ii. 82 Lest by slacking the time they prouoked his further displeasure. 1633 T. Stafford Pacata Hibernia i. v. 40 Slacke not time..to prosecute him freshly in the Reare-ward. 2. a. To cease to go on with, or prosecute, in a vigorous and energetic manner; to allow to fall off or decline. Also to slack one's hand(s), to diminish one's exertions or activity. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > make less violent or severe [verb (transitive)] > make less active or vigorous > allow to become less vigorous > specific one's actions, etc. slake1390 mitigate?a1500 slack1520 slake1586 relax1655 the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > become less violent or severe [verb (intransitive)] > relax one's efforts slakec1000 slakea1225 flakec1500 slack1560 slacken1641 relax1652 to slack one's hand(s)1688 to drop off1827 ease1863 slack1864 to ease off1925 1520 in State Papers Henry VIII (1849) VI. 63 Though the preparacions here bene slacked, because moche money nedith. 1596 J. Dalrymple tr. J. Leslie Hist. Scotl. (1895) II. 143 The king of clemencie tha besocht, to slak the seige a lytle. 1638 F. Junius Painting of Ancients 15 Neither is there any reason why we should slacke our endeavours. 1688 G. Miege Great French Dict. ii. sig. Rrr4v/2 To slack his hand, in point of Liberality, to give less liberally, être moins liberal. 1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Georgics i, in tr. Virgil Wks. 58 If they slack their hands, or cease to strive, Then down the Flood with headlong haste they drive. View more context for this quotation 1790 J. Wesley Jrnl. 1 Jan. I do not slack my labour. I can preach and write still. 1835 N. P. Willis Melanie 57 I did not slack my love of life and hope of pleasure. b. To allow to mitigate or abate. rare. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > make less violent or severe [verb (transitive)] > make less active or vigorous > allow to become less vigorous slack1560 slackena1631 1560 J. Daus tr. J. Sleidane Commentaries f. clxj Consideryng how the Turke slacketh nothyng of his fiersenes. 1596 E. Spenser Second Pt. Faerie Queene iv. ix. sig. I3v Yet neither would their fiendlike fury slacke, But euermore their malice did augment. View more context for this quotation 1609 C. Tourneur Funerall Poeme sig. B4v With their obedience, he did slacke the bent Of his seueritie in punishment. 3. a. To reduce the force or strength of; to make less active, vigorous, or violent. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > make less violent or severe [verb (transitive)] temperc1000 keelc1175 slakea1300 abate?c1335 settle1338 swagea1340 modifyc1385 rebatea1398 bate1398 moder1414 releasea1425 remiss?a1425 moderate1435 alethe?1440 delaya1450 appal1470 addulce1477 mollify1496 mean?a1513 relent1535 qualify1536 temperatea1540 aplake1578 slack1589 relaxate1598 milden1603 mitigate1611 relax1612 alleniate1615 allay1628 alloy1634 castigate1653 smoothen1655 tendera1656 mitify1656 meeken1662 remitigate1671 obviscate1684 slacken1685 chastise1704 dulcify1744 absorb1791 demulceate1817 chasten1856 modulate1974 mediate1987 1589 T. Nashe Anat. Absurditie sig. Diiiiv There be three things which are wont to slack young Students endeuour. 1610 Histrio-mastix vi. 149 To waile our want, let speaking slacke the paine. 1639 S. Du Verger tr. J.-P. Camus Admirable Events 155 The boiling heate of your love will be..at least something slackt. 1719 D. Defoe Life Robinson Crusoe 142 I slack'd my Fire gradually. 1791 W. Cowper tr. Homer Iliad in Iliad & Odyssey I. xxi. 399 Nor slack thy furious fires 'till with a shout I give command, then bid them cease to blaze. 1812 W. Taylor in Monthly Mag. 34 234 You ringers, slack the knell. b. To slake (one's thirst). ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > drink > drinking > [verb (transitive)] > slake thirst moistc1400 moisten1567 slack1631 1631 W. Gouge Gods Three Arrowes v. x. 420 So much as might somewhat slacke their thirst. 1663 L. Womock Aron-bimnucha or Antidote to cure Calamites 29 Here is a Julip will slack his thirst. 1750 W. Beawes Lex Mercatoria (1752) 1 A neighbouring spring slacked their thirst. 1864 J. M. Neale Seatonian Poems 52 One drop to find, his maddening thirst to slack. a1904 A. Adams Log of Cowboy v. 65 It was a novelty to see them reach the water and slack their thirst. 4. To make lax, neglectful, or remiss. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > manner of action > carelessness > be careless or heedless of [verb (transitive)] > be remiss about > make remiss slack?c1599 ?c1599 C. Marlowe tr. Ovid Certaine Elegies i. i, in J. Davies & C. Marlowe Epigrammes & Elegies sig. E2v I slackt my Muse, and made my number soft. ?1609 J. Donne Lett. (1651) 30 Not to slack you towards those friends which are religious in other clothes then we. 1650 W. Brough Sacred Princ. 399 Hold thy foot (when he hath thus slackt thy heart). 5. a. To delay or retard; to render slower in respect of motion or progress. Also with up. Now rare. ΘΚΠ the world > movement > rate of motion > move at specific rate [verb (transitive)] > reduce (speed) > cause to reduce speed check1393 slow1557 lag1570 slack1577 slacken1580 slug1605 trasha1616 overslow1619 beslowa1644 steady1812 to slow up1868 decelerate1899 1577 tr. ‘F. de L'Isle’ Legendarie sig. Ivj When..the Kinge of Spaines embassador slacked his comming to ye Council. 1599 W. Shakespeare Romeo & Juliet iv. i. 3 I am nothing slow to slacke [1597 slacke to slow] his haste. View more context for this quotation 1625 N. Carpenter Geogr. Delineated i. iv. 80 All other bodies are slacked by the medium or Aire by which they are to moue. 1638 W. Rawley tr. F. Bacon Hist. Nat. & Exper. Life & Death 33 This..conserveth the Greennesse, and slacketh the Dessication of it. 1891 Cent. Dict. To slack up, to retard the speed of, as a railway-train. b. To allow (one's pace, course, etc.) to become less rapid. ΘΚΠ the world > movement > rate of motion > move at specific rate [verb (transitive)] > reduce (speed) slack1633 slacken1749 1633 J. Hart Κλινικη Ep. Ded. 1 It did not become one that was running a race, to intermit or slacke his pace. 1675 T. Otway Alcibiades iii. iii. 30 But you Sir.., Missing your game can eas'ly slack the flight. 1704 J. Swift Full Acct. Battel between Bks. in Tale of Tub 276 But W—tt—n..began to slack his Course. 1766 H. Brooke Fool of Quality II. viii. 81 Here, slacking our pace, we found ourselves growing extremely sick. 1826 T. Hood Fall of Deer 23 Slacking Pace at last From runninge slow he standeth faste. 6. a. To make slack or loose; to render less tense or taut; to loosen, relax. ΚΠ 1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 720/2 I slacke a knotte,..I lowse a thynge that was to strayte tyed, je lasche. 1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 720/2 Slacke his gyrdell. 1596 E. Spenser Second Pt. Faerie Queene v. ii. sig. N4v Ne euer Artegall his griple strong For any thing wold slacke, but still vppon him hong. View more context for this quotation 1609 W. Shakespeare Pericles xi. 43 Slacke the bolins there. View more context for this quotation 1633 P. Fletcher Purple Island viii. i. 107 The Sunne began to slack his bended bow. 1695 W. W. Novum Lumen Chirurgicum Extinctum 53 As often slacking the Turneke. 1753 Chambers's Cycl. Suppl. Slack the hand, is to slack the bridle, or give a horse head. 1816 W. Scott Old Mortality xii, in Tales of my Landlord 1st. Ser. IV. 270 Tak the gentleman's horse to the stable, and slack his girths. 1867 W. H. Smyth & E. Belcher Sailor's Word-bk. 630 Slack the laniard of our main-stay. b. With adverbs, as back, down, off, etc. ΚΠ 1806 Port of London Bye-Laws (1807) xxvii. 34 If the person..shall not..slack off the breastfasts of such ship. 1867 W. H. Smyth & E. Belcher Sailor's Word-bk. 631 Slack up the hawser. 1869 W. J. M. Rankine Cycl. Machine & Hand-tools Pl.Q 7 The saw can be instantly stopped by slacking back one of the slides. 1883 Cent. Mag. Sept. 654 With..the peak of the foresail slacked down. 1893 F. M. Crawford Children of King i. 8 A hand forward to slack out the cable. c. absol. ΚΠ 1828 W. Scott Fair Maid of Perth v, in Chron. Canongate 2nd Ser. I. 134 Give her line enough; but do not slack too fast. c1860 H. Stuart Novices or Young Seaman's Catech. (rev. ed.) 27 Slack back two or three turns. 1884 Law Rep.: Appeal Cases 9 426 They slacked astern-about 25 feet. 7. To cause (lime) to disintegrate by the action of water or moisture; to slake. ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > materials > derived or manufactured material > lime materials > actions of lime materials [verb (intransitive)] > slake fry1624 slack1700 slacken1703 slake1766 1700 Moxon's Mech. Exercises: Bricklayers-wks. 21 When you slack the Lime, take care to wet it every where a little. 1758 A. Reid tr. P. J. Macquer Elements Theory & Pract. Chym. I. 40 It..takes the form of a fine powder, and the title of ‘Lime slacked in the air’. 1812 J. Sinclair Acct. Syst. Husbandry Scotl. i. 177 Lime, if exposed to rain,..and slacked like mortar, loses half its effect. 1905 Daily Mail 2 Jan. 5/6 Where 150 sacks of lime, slacked by the inrushing water, burst into flame and were destroyed. II. intransitive. ΘΚΠ the world > time > a suitable time or opportunity > untimeliness > delay or postponement > delay [verb (intransitive)] geleOE studegieOE abideOE to do in or a (= on) fristc1175 dwellc1175 demurc1230 targec1250 dretcha1325 tarrya1375 sojourn1377 defer1382 letc1385 hinderc1386 blina1400 delay?a1400 honea1400 litea1400 overbidea1400 prolongc1425 supersede1433 hoverc1440 tarrowc1480 sunyie1488 stay?a1500 sleep1519 slack1530 protract1540 linger1548 procrastinate1548 slackc1560 slug1565 jauk1568 temporize1579 detract1584 longering1587 sit1591 prorogue1593 to time it out1613 to lie out1640 crastinate1656 taigle17.. to hang fire1782 to hold off1790 to hang it on1819 prevaricate1854 to lie over1856 to tread water1942 to drag one's feet1946 1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 720/2 You have slacked to longe, you shulde have come afore. a1556 N. Udall Ralph Roister Doister (?1566) ii. i. sig. C.iij I woulde not haue slacked for ten thousand poundes. 1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues Tardiver, to linger, foreslow, slacke, delay. 9. a. To be inactive or idle; to fail to exert oneself in a due manner. Also with it. In modern use colloquial. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > become less violent or severe [verb (intransitive)] > relax one's efforts > fail to exert oneself slack1543 coast1934 1543 Necess. Erudit. Chr. Man B iii Those men..slacking in suche care and desyre, as they shulde haue to please god. 1582 Queen Marguerite of Navarre's Godlie Medit. (new ed.) in T. Bentley et al. Monument of Matrones ii. 6 Thou..also didst put hir [sc the soul] within this bodie, not for to slacke with sloth. c1595 Countess of Pembroke Psalme xliv. 86 in Coll. Wks. (1998) II. 37 Vpp O lord,..Sleepe not euer, slack not euer. b. To neglect, to be backward or dilatory, to do something. Now rare. ΘΚΠ the world > time > a suitable time or opportunity > untimeliness > delay or postponement > delay [verb (intransitive)] geleOE studegieOE abideOE to do in or a (= on) fristc1175 dwellc1175 demurc1230 targec1250 dretcha1325 tarrya1375 sojourn1377 defer1382 letc1385 hinderc1386 blina1400 delay?a1400 honea1400 litea1400 overbidea1400 prolongc1425 supersede1433 hoverc1440 tarrowc1480 sunyie1488 stay?a1500 sleep1519 slack1530 protract1540 linger1548 procrastinate1548 slackc1560 slug1565 jauk1568 temporize1579 detract1584 longering1587 sit1591 prorogue1593 to time it out1613 to lie out1640 crastinate1656 taigle17.. to hang fire1782 to hold off1790 to hang it on1819 prevaricate1854 to lie over1856 to tread water1942 to drag one's feet1946 the world > action or operation > manner of action > slowness of action or operation > be or become slow [verb (intransitive)] > be dilatory slowOE tarrya1375 linger1548 procrastinate1548 slackc1560 forslow1571 to hang back1581 to hang an (also the) arse1596 to hang fire1782 to be slow off the mark1972 c1560 E. G. in E. Farr Sel. Poetry Reign Elizabeth (1845) II. 505 Thy word to offer thou doest not slacke. 1582 R. Stanyhurst tr. Virgil First Foure Bookes Æneis ii. 41 Slack not my woords to remember. 1610 Bible (Douay) II. Ecclus. v. 8 Slacke not to be converted to our Lord. 1611 Bible (King James) Deut. xxiii. 21 When thou shalt vow a vow vnto the Lord.., thou shalt not slacke to pay it. View more context for this quotation 1886 C. Rossetti Poems (1904) 146 The kind Physician will not slack to treat His patient. 10. a. Of persons (or animals): To become less energetic, active, or diligent. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > become less violent or severe [verb (intransitive)] > relax one's efforts slakec1000 slakea1225 flakec1500 slack1560 slacken1641 relax1652 to slack one's hand(s)1688 to drop off1827 ease1863 slack1864 to ease off1925 1560 J. Daus tr. J. Sleidane Commentaries f. cccxxiiiv After they..found in manner nothing, they begin somewhat to slack. 1607 G. Markham Cavelarice iii. 70 If after a traine or two more, they slacke againe the second time. 1623 J. Bingham tr. Xenophon Hist. 30 In case any man appointed to worke seemed to slacke,..he chastised and put him off. 1779 T. Forrest Voy. New Guinea 13 We rowed with fourteen oars, and continued so most part of the day, slacking at times when it was very hot. 1875 W. Morris in J. W. Mackail Life W. Morris (1899) I. 319 I have somewhat slacked from the Virgil translation. b. Similarly with off. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > become less violent or severe [verb (intransitive)] > relax one's efforts slakec1000 slakea1225 flakec1500 slack1560 slacken1641 relax1652 to slack one's hand(s)1688 to drop off1827 ease1863 slack1864 to ease off1925 1864 C. M. Yonge Trial II. ii. 41 If he slacks off in his respect or affection for you. 1884 Bazaar, Exchange & Mart 17 Dec. 647/2 This young artist..has not slacked off, as so many do when a certain..standard is reached. 11. a. To diminish in strength or speed; to become weaker or slower; to moderate in some respect. ΘΚΠ the world > movement > rate of motion > move at specific rate [verb (intransitive)] > decrease speed slack1580 slow1594 slacken1734 to flag rein1848 steady1850 to slow down1857 to slow up1861 decelerate1928 downshift1974 the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > become less violent or severe [verb (intransitive)] allayc1275 softc1300 assuage1330 swagec1330 slakea1352 stanchc1420 overslakec1425 appeasec1440 to swage ofc1440 to sit downa1555 soften1565 slack1580 mitigate1633 moderate1737 gentle1912 the world > relative properties > quantity > decrease or reduction in quantity, amount, or degree > decrease in quantity, amount, or degree [verb (intransitive)] littleOE setc1000 wanzec1175 lessc1225 allayc1275 wane1297 slaken1303 disincreasec1374 slakec1380 decrease1382 debatea1400 unwaxa1400 wastea1400 adminishc1400 lessenc1400 imminish14.. aslakec1405 minish?a1425 assuagec1430 shrinkc1449 to let down1486 decay1489 diminish1520 fall1523 rebate1540 batea1542 to come down1548 abate1560 stoop1572 pine1580 slack1580 scanten1585 shrivel1588 decrew1596 remit1629 contract1648 subside1680 lower1697 relax1701 drop1730 to take off1776 to run down1792 reduce1798 recede1810 to run off1816 to go down1823 attenuatea1834 ease1876 downscale1945 1580 H. Smith in R. Hakluyt Princ. Navigations (1589) ii. 475 The storme began to slacke, otherwise we had bene in ill case. 1601 P. Holland tr. Pliny Hist. World I. ii. xvi. 11 For that naturall motions doe either hasten or slacke. 1641 Naunton's Fragmenta Regalia (new ed.) 21 If the fire chance to slack, which I have kindled. 1726 G. Shelvocke Voy. round World ii. 69 Just as we had gain'd somewhat more than mid passage, the tide slack'd. 1788 M. Cutler Jrnl. 28 July in W. P. Cutler & J. P. Cutler Life, Jrnls. & Corr. M. Cutler (1888) I. 394 Rain slacked about six, and we set out. 1865 W. G. Palgrave Narr. Journey through Arabia II. 313 The breeze slacked, and we slowly worked up to the north. 1880 ‘M. Twain’ Tramp Abroad 274 One expected to see the locomotive pause, or slack up a little. b. Of affairs, business, etc.: To fall off; to go more slowly; to be less brisk. ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > business affairs > [verb (intransitive)] > of business activity: fall off slack1609 slacken1725 to turn down1936 downshift1974 1609 W. Shakespeare Troilus & Cressida iii. iii. 24 Their negotiations all must slacke, Wanting his mannage. View more context for this quotation 1831 R. Shennan Tales, Songs, & Misc. Poems 37 When business had begun to slack. 12. To become less tense, rigid, or firm. ΘΚΠ the world > matter > constitution of matter > softness > types of softness > [verb (intransitive)] > be or become slack or not tense relax?a1425 slack1577 relaxate1598 slacken1850 unstretch1888 1577 W. Harrison Descr. Eng. (1877) ii. v. i. 117 Hir garter, which slacked by chance and so fell from her leg. 1599 J. Davies Nosce Teipsum 21 When the bodies strongest sinewes slake, Then is the Soule most actiue. a1774 R. Fergusson Poems (1785) 196 How maun their weyms wi' sairest hunger slack. 1820 W. Scoresby Acct. Arctic Regions I. 215 The ice slacked, and the ship was towed..to the east~ward. 1825 J. Jamieson Etymol. Dict. Sc. Lang. Suppl. To Slack,..to become flaccid. 1825 J. Jamieson Etymol. Dict. Sc. Lang. Suppl. A tumour is said to slack. 13. Of lime, etc.: To become disintegrated under the action of moisture. ΘΚΠ the world > existence and causation > creation > destruction > breaking or cracking > break [verb (intransitive)] > crumble grushc1420 crumb1546 crumble1577 shalder1577 murl1600 slack1700 shatter1733 fall1743 1700 Moxon's Mech. Exercises: Bricklayers-wks. 5 Lime..appears to be cold, but Water excites it again, whereby it Slacks and crumbles into fine Powder. 1760 R. Brown Compl. Farmer: Pt. 2 46 Good marle in hot weather will slack with the heat of the sun like lime. 1874 R. W. Raymond Statistics Mines & Mining 15 It..often crumbles to powder, even the pebbles of a certain sort ‘slacking’ to a sandy consistency. This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1911; most recently modified version published online March 2022). < n.1?a1400n.2c1440n.3a1533adj.adv.c897v.1520 |
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