slackadjective
uk/slæk/us/slæk/slack adjective (NOT TIGHT)
not tight; loose:
These tent ropes are too slack - they need tightening.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Flexible, loose and yielding
- adrift
 - bendable
 - bendy
 - ductile
 - elastic
 - flowing
 - jointed
 - loose
 - loose-fitting
 - loosely
 - looseness
 - plastic
 - slackness
 - spring
 - springy
 - sprung
 - stretch
 - stretchy
 - supple
 - yield
 
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slack adjective (NOT ACTIVE)
showing little activity; not busy or happening in a positive way:
Business is always slack at this time of year.
UK disapproving Discipline in Mr Brown's class has become very slack recently.
UK disapproving The job is taking a long time because the workmen are so slack.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Slow and moving slowly
- at a snail's pace idiom
 - by and by idiom
 - by degrees idiom
 - claw your way (somewhere) idiom
 - clunky
 - drift
 - float
 - hang around
 - in ones and twos idiom
 - inch by inch idiom
 - infiltrate
 - infiltration
 - labour
 - mill
 - slowpoke
 - sluggish
 - snail
 - steadily
 - steady
 - struggle
 
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slackly 
adverb uk/ˈslæk.li/us/ˈslæk.li/
slacknoun
uk/slæk/us/slæk/slack noun (NOT TIGHT)
[ U ] the fact that something is too loose:
There's too much slack in these ropes.
 The men pulled on the ropes to take up the slack (= to tighten them).
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Flexible, loose and yielding
- adrift
 - bendable
 - bendy
 - ductile
 - elastic
 - flowing
 - jointed
 - loose
 - loose-fitting
 - loosely
 - looseness
 - plastic
 - slackness
 - spring
 - springy
 - sprung
 - stretch
 - stretchy
 - supple
 - yield
 
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slack noun (TROUSERS)
slacks [ plural ] US or UK old-fashioned
a pair of trousers, that are not part of a suit:
wool slacks
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Trousers
- bell-bottoms
 - Bermuda shorts
 - blue jeans
 - bootcut
 - breeches
 - cutoff
 - cycling shorts
 - denim
 - drainpipe
 - dungarees
 - jodhpurs
 - knickerbockers
 - knickers
 - leggings
 - Levi's
 - low-rise
 - tracksuit bottoms
 - trews
 - trouser
 - trousers
 
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slack noun (COAL)
[ U ] very small pieces and dust from coal
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Fuels
- -fired
 - alternative energy
 - anthracite
 - biodiesel
 - biomass
 - briquette
 - coal-fired
 - coke
 - denatured alcohol
 - fuel
 - fuel poverty
 - fuel rod
 - fuel-efficient
 - gas
 - gasometer
 - hickory chips
 - oil
 - propellant
 - solid fuel
 - wind farm
 
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Idiom(s)
pick up/take up the slack
slackverb [ I ]
uk/slæk/us/slæk/informalto work more slowly and with less effort than usual, or to go more slowly:
Everyone slacks off/up at the end of the week.
disapproving You'll be in trouble if you're caught slacking on the job.
 Slack off your speed as you approach the corner.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Slow and moving slowly
- at a snail's pace idiom
 - by and by idiom
 - by degrees idiom
 - claw your way (somewhere) idiom
 - clunky
 - drift
 - float
 - hang around
 - in ones and twos idiom
 - inch by inch idiom
 - infiltrate
 - infiltration
 - labour
 - mill
 - slowpoke
 - sluggish
 - snail
 - steadily
 - steady
 - struggle
 
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