slacken

  • 11Slacken — Slack Slack, Slacken Slack en, v. t. 1. To render slack; to make less tense or firm; as, to slack a rope; to slacken a bandage. Wycklif (Acts xxvii. 40) [1913 Webster] 2. To neglect; to be remiss in. [Obs.] Shak. [1913 Webster] Slack not the… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 12slacken — verb ADVERB ▪ a bit, a little, slightly, somewhat (esp. AmE) ▪ His grip slackened a little and she pulled away. ▪ never ▪ Willis never slack …

    Collocations dictionary

  • 13slacken — slack, slacken Both words have been in use since the 16c, and remain interchangeable in many meanings. There are, however, some areas of preference: slacken is generally more dominant in the sense ‘to make or become slack (or slacker)’: a breeze …

    Modern English usage

  • 14slacken — also slacken off verb (I, T) 1 to gradually become slower, weaker, less active etc, or to make something do this: The heavy rain showed no signs of slackening off. | slacken your pace/speed (=go or walk more slowly): Once outside the gates, I… …

    Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • 15Slacken — Slack Slack, Slacken Slack en, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Slacked}, {Slackened}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Slacking}, {Slackening}.] [See {Slack}, a.] 1. To become slack; to be made less tense, firm, or rigid; to decrease in tension; as, a wet cord slackens in… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 16slacken — verb (slackened; slackening) Date: 14th century transitive verb 1. to make less active ; slow up < slacken speed at a crossing > 2. to make slack (as by lessening tension or firmness) < slacken sail > intransitive verb …

    New Collegiate Dictionary

  • 17slacken — slack|en [ˈslækən] v [I and T] written 1.) also slacken off to gradually become slower, weaker, less active etc, or to make something do this ▪ The heavy rain showed no signs of slackening off. slacken your pace/speed (=go or walk more slowly) ▪&#8230; …

    Dictionary of contemporary English

  • 18slacken — Ⅰ. slack [1] ► ADJECTIVE 1) not taut or held tightly in position; loose. 2) (of business or trade) not busy; quiet. 3) careless, lazy, or negligent. 4) (of a tide) neither ebbing nor flowing. ► NOUN 1) …

    English terms dictionary

  • 19slacken — [ˈslækən] verb [I/T] 1) to become slower or less active, or to make something become slower or less active 2) to become looser, or to make something looser • slacken (sth) off …

    Dictionary for writing and speaking English

  • 20slacken — slack [adj1] loose, baggy; inactive dull, easy, feeble, flabby, flaccid, flexible, flimsy, inert, infirm, laggard, lax, leisurely, limp, not taut, passive, quaggy, quiet, relaxed, sloppy, slow, slow moving, sluggish, soft, supine, unsteady, weak; …

    New thesaurus