slackˈen intransitive verb

1. To become loose or less tight
2. To be remiss
3. To abate
4. To become slower
5. To fail or flag
6. To be inactive or lax

1. To make slack or less tight
2. To loosen
3. To slow, retard
4. To be remiss or dilatory in
5. To relax
6. To slake (lime)

slackˈening noun and adjective

slackˈer noun

1. An idler
2. A person who is reprehensibly inactive
3. A shirker
4. (US) a young person taking an apathetic or cynical attitude to mainstream culture

slackˈerdom noun

slackˈly adverb

slackˈness noun

slackˈ-bake transitive verb

To half-bake

slack-handˈed adjective

Remiss

slack jaw noun (slang)

Impudent talk

slack line noun

A slack rope

slackˈlining noun

Walking along a slack rope (qv below)

slack rope noun

A loosely stretched rope for a funambulist

slack water noun

1. Turn of the tide
2. A stretch of still or slow-moving water

slackˈ-water adjective

Relating to slack water

cut someone some slack (esp N American informal)

To allow someone to act without undue criticism or pressure

slack away

To ease off freely

slack in stays

(of a ship, etc) slow in going about

slack off or slacken off

To ease off

slack up or slacken up

1. To ease off
2. To slow