slack water
/'slæk,wɔtə/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A period of still water at the turn of the tide: "slack water" refers to the brief period when the tide is neither rising nor falling, resulting in minimal or no horizontal water movement.
- A stretch of water without current: It can also describe any body of water, such as in a river or canal, that is calm and lacks a perceptible flow.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- We timed our passage through the narrows for the period of slack water.
- The boat drifted gently in the slack water of the inlet.
- Fishermen often find the best fishing just before slack water ends.
Advanced Usage
- "at slack water": during the period of minimal tidal current.
- The divers entered the water at slack water for safety.
- "slack-water navigation": navigation that takes advantage of or is planned around these calm periods.
- Slack-water navigation was crucial for early steamboats on the river.
Variants and Related Words
- Slack tide (n): A synonym for "slack water," specifically referring to the tidal context.
- The slack tide is the safest time for swimming here.
- Slack (adj): In a nautical context, can describe a loose rope or, by extension, a period of inactivity in the tide.
- The line went slack as the current died.
Synonyms
- Stand of tide: A technical synonym for the period when the tidal height remains constant.
- Still water: Water that is not flowing; a general term that can describe conditions similar to slack water.
Related Phrases
- To hit the slack: (Informal) To arrive or take action during the slack water period.
- If we can hit the slack, we'll save a lot of fuel fighting the current.
Related Idioms
- (Like) slack water: Used figuratively to describe a period of calm or inactivity between two busier or more turbulent phases.
- The office was like slack water between the morning rush and the lunch hour chaos.
Noun
- the occurrence of relatively still water at the turn of the (low) tide
- a stretch of water without current or movement
- suddenly they were in a slack and the water was motionless