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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Slack \Slack\, a. [Compar. {Slacker}; superl. {Slackest}.] [OE.
slak, AS. sleac; akin to OS. slak, OHG. slah, Prov. G.
schlack, Icel. slakr, Sw. slak; cf. Skr. s[.r]j to let loose,
to throw. Cf. {Slake}.]
Lax; not tense; not hard drawn; not firmly extended; as, a
slack rope.
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2. Weak; not holding fast; as, a slack hand. --Milton.
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3. Remiss; backward; not using due diligence or care; not
earnest or eager; as, slack in duty or service.
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The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as
some men count slackness. --2 Pet. iii.
9.
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4. Not violent, rapid, or pressing; slow; moderate; easy; as,
business is slack. "With slack pace." --Chaucer.
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C?sar . . . about sunset, hoisting sail with a slack
southwest, at midnight was becalmed. --Milton.
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{Slack in stays} (Naut.), slow in going about, as a ship.

{Slack water}, the time when the tide runs slowly, or the
water is at rest; or the interval between the flux and
reflux of the tide.

{Slack-water navigation}, navigation in a stream the depth of
which has been increased, and the current diminished, by a
dam or dams.
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Syn: Loose; relaxed; weak; remiss; backward; abated;
diminished; inactive; slow; tardy; dull.
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Slack \Slack\, n. [Cf. {Slag}.]
Small coal; also, coal dust; culm. --Raymond.
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Slack \Slack\, n. [Icel. slakki a slope on a mountain edge.]
A valley, or small, shallow dell. [Prov. Eng.] --Grose.
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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)
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2. To neglect; to be remiss in. [Obs.] --Shak.
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Slack not the pressage. --Dryden.
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3. To deprive of cohesion by combining chemically with water;
to slake; as, to slack lime.
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4. To cause to become less eager; to repress; to make slow or
less rapid; to retard; as, to slacken pursuit; to slacken
industry. "Rancor for to slack." --Chaucer.
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I should be grieved, young prince, to think my
presence
Unbent your thoughts, and slackened 'em to arms.
--Addison.
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In this business of growing rich, poor men should
slack their pace. --South.
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With such delay
Well plased, they slack their course. --Milton.
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5. To cause to become less intense; to mitigate; to abate; to
ease.
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To respite, or deceive, or slack thy pain
Of this ill mansion. --Milton.
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{Air-slacked lime}, lime slacked by exposure to the air, in
consequence of the absorption of carton dioxide and water,
by which it is converted into carbonate of lime and
hydrate of lime.
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Slack \Slack\, adv.
Slackly; as, slack dried hops.
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Slack \Slack\, n.
The part of anything that hangs loose, having no strain upon
it; as, the slack of a rope or of a sail.
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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 dry
weather.
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2. To be remiss or backward; to be negligent.
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3. To lose cohesion or solidity by a chemical combination
with water; to slake; as, lime slacks.
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4. To abate; to become less violent.
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Whence these raging fires
Will slacken, if his breath stir not their flames.
--Milton.
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5. To lose rapidity; to become more slow; as, a current of
water slackens.
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6. To languish; to fail; to flag.
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7. To end; to cease; to desist; to slake. [Obs.]
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That through your death your lineage should slack.
--Chaucer.
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They will not of that firste purpose slack.
--Chaucer.
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