a cord or rope or cable that is hanging loosely; "he took up the slack";
the condition of being loose (not taut); "he hadn''t counted on the slackness of the rope";
a stretch of water without current or movement; "suddenly they were in slack water";
a noticeable deterioration in performance or quality; "the team went into a slump"; "a gradual slack in output"; "a drop-off in attendance"; "a falloff in quality";
dust consisting of a mixture of small coal fragments and coal dust and dirt that sifts out when coal is passed over a sieve;
cause to heat and crumble by treatment with water; "slack lime";
become less in amount or intensity; "The storm abated"; "The rain let up after a few hours";
make less active or intense;
become slow or slower; "Production slowed";
make less active or fast; "He slackened his pace as he got tired"; "Don''t relax your efforts now";
release tension on; "slack the rope";
be inattentive to, or neglect; "He slacks his attention";
avoid responsibilities and work, be idle;
lacking in rigor or strictness; "such lax and slipshod ways are no longer acceptable"; "lax in attending classes"; "slack in maintaining discipline";
flowing with little speed as e.g. at the turning of the tide; "slack water";
lacking in strength or firmness or resilience; "flaccid muscles"; "took his lax hand in hers"; "gave a limp handshake"; "a limp gesture as if waving away all desire to know" G.K.Chesterton; "a slack grip";
not tense or taut; "the old man''s skin hung loose and gray"; "slack and wrinkled skin"; "slack sails"; "a slack rope";
