The yard was black with coal slack after the delivery.
His slack proofreading let several errors through.
The tide reached slack just after noon.
The backup team picked up the slack during the outage.
Similar words
relax
coal fines
small coal
give
ease
inactive
idle
downtime
screenings
flat
Meanings
Loose or not taut
adjective
physical
neutral
Loose, limp, or lacking the normal tension, firmness, or steadiness.
Examples
The slack rope brushed against the deck.
His injured arm hung slack at his side.
The sail went slack when the wind dropped.
A slack belt can slip off the pulley.
The current was almost slack near high tide.
Similar words
loose
limp
lax
sagging
floppy
relaxed
weak
soft
Careless or not strict enough
adjective
work
neutral
Careless, negligent, or too weak in effort, discipline, or standards.
Examples
The audit found slack controls in the payment system.
His slack proofreading let several errors through.
The school became slack about attendance records.
A slack approach to maintenance caused the breakdown.
The coach criticized the team for slack defending.
Similar words
careless
negligent
lax
remiss
lazy
sloppy
neglectful
loose
Slow or not busy
adjective
business
neutral
Slow, quiet, or low in activity, especially in business, trade, movement, or demand.
Examples
January is usually a slack month for the resort.
The factory cut hours during a slack period.
Demand stayed slack after the holiday rush.
The boat drifted through slack water.
A slack pace made the workday feel longer.
Similar words
slow
quiet
dull
sluggish
inactive
flat
weak
idle
Loosen or reduce
verb
physical
neutral
To make something looser, less tense, less forceful, or less intense.
Examples
The sailor slacked the line before turning the winch.
The driver slacked her speed on the icy bridge.
The wind slacked just before sunset.
The technician slacks the belt before removing the cover.
They slacked the pace once the climb was over.
Similar words
loosen
slacken
ease
relax
lessen
moderate
reduce
soften
Avoid effort or duty
verb
work
informal
To work with less effort than expected, move more slowly, or neglect a duty.
Examples
The crew started slacking after lunch.
He was caught slacking on the job.
The team cannot slack off before the launch.
She slacked on the paperwork and missed the deadline.
Production slacked off during the heat wave.
Similar words
loaf
idle
shirk
dawdle
procrastinate
neglect
loiter
goof off
Loose part or spare capacity
noun
resources
neutral
Extra looseness, unused room, or spare capacity that can be tightened, used, or allowed as relief.
Examples
Pull the line until all the slack is gone.
The backup team picked up the slack during the outage.
There is little slack in the household budget.
The manager cut him some slack after the family emergency.
A little slack in the schedule helps absorb delays.
Similar words
leeway
latitude
margin
looseness
give
capacity
room
relief
Lull or low-activity period
noun
business
neutral
A period or state when work, trade, movement, or flow slows down or briefly stops.
Examples
The restaurant uses the winter slack for repairs.
A sudden slack in output worried the plant manager.
The tide reached slack just after noon.
Farm work has a brief slack before harvest begins.
Retailers filled the summer slack with local promotions.
Similar words
lull
slowdown
dip
pause
downtime
quiet
abatement
stoppage
Fine coal screenings
noun
fuel
technical
Very small pieces and dust left after coal has been screened at a mine.
Examples
The old mine sold slack after screening the coal.
Fine slack collected beneath the conveyor.
The furnace could not burn wet slack efficiently.
Workers separated usable coal from slack and stone.
The yard was black with coal slack after the delivery.
Similar words
coal dust
screenings
coal fines
culm
small coal
Etymology
From Old English slæc and related Germanic forms meaning loose, lax, or sluggish. The coal noun is separate and probably comes through words for slag or small waste pieces.
FAQ
What does slack mean on a rope?
Slack means the rope is loose and not pulled tight.
What does slack mean at work?
It can mean careless, not strict enough, or working with too little effort.
What does take up the slack mean?
It means to tighten a loose part or do work that is missing because someone else has not done it.
What does cut someone some slack mean?
It means to give someone extra leeway or relief from pressure.
Is slack the same as Slack?
No. Lowercase slack is the common word, while Slack is the capitalized name of the software product.
Are slack and slacks the same entry?
No. Slacks is the plural clothing noun for trousers, while slack covers looseness, laxness, low activity, and related senses.
What is coal slack?
Coal slack is fine coal pieces or dust left after coal has been screened.
Where does slack come from?
The main word goes back to Old English slæc, meaning loose, lax, or sluggish.
Comments & contributions
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