slack

Adjective

• lacking in rigor or strictness
  • such lax and slipshod ways are no longer acceptable
    
  • lax in attending classes
    
  • slack in maintaining discipline
    

• flowing with little speed as e.g. at the turning of the tide
  • slack water
    

• not tense or taut
  • the old man's skin hung loose and grey
    
  • slack and wrinkled skin
    
  • slack sails
    
  • a slack rope
    

Noun

• a cord or rope or cable that is hanging loosely
  • he took up the slack
    

• the quality of being loose (not taut)
  • he hadn't counted on the slackness of the rope
    

• a soft wet area of low-lying land that sinks underfoot

• a stretch of water without current or movement
  • suddenly they were in a slack and the water was motionless
    

• 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
    

• dust consisting of a mixture of small coal fragments and coal dust and dirt that sifts out when coal is passed over a sieve

Verb

• cause to heat and crumble by treatment with water
  • slack lime
    

• become less in amount or intensity
  • The storm abated
    
  • The rain let up after a few hours
    

• make less active or intense

• become slow or slower
  • Production slowed
    

• make less active or fast
  • He slackened his pace as he got tired
    
  • Don't relax your efforts now
    

• release tension on
  • slack the rope
    

• be inattentive to, or neglect
  • He slacks his attention
    

• avoid responsibilities and work, be idle

Related words

• Synonyms: 
  lax , loose , slackness , mire , quagmire , quag , morass , slack water , slump , drop-off , falloff , falling off , slake , abate , let up , slack off , die away , slow , slow down , slow up , slacken , slack up , relax