slacken

slacken
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, demand, one's energy, one's grip, growth, one's pace, a rope, all slacken, and we slacken our efforts, our grip, our opposition, and our pace. In the meaning ‘to be lazy or idle’ slack is used, but only in progressive tenses: She thought I was slacking (or…had been slacking) but not ☒ She thought I had slacked.

Modern English usage. 2014.

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  • slacken — slack‧en [ˈslækən] also slacken off verb [intransitive, transitive] to gradually become weaker or less active, or to make something do this: • As business slackens, accounting firms are reducing their professional staffs and shaking up office… …   Financial and business terms

  • slacken — [slak′ən] vi. [< SLACK1] 1. to become less active, intense, brisk, etc. [slackening trade] 2. to become less tense; loosen, as rope vt. 1. to reduce the intensity or severity of; retard; abate; moderate 2. to reduce the tension of; relax; loos …   English World dictionary

  • Slacken — Slack en, n. (Metal.) A spongy, semivitrifled substance which miners or smelters mix with the ores of metals to prevent their fusion. [Written also {slakin}.] [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • slacken — index alleviate, commute, decrease, delay, ease, hold up (delay), impede, lessen …   Law dictionary

  • slacken — (v.) c.1300, from SLACK (Cf. slack) (adj.) + EN (Cf. en) (1). Related: Slackened; slackening …   Etymology dictionary

  • slacken — *delay, retard, slow, detain Analogous words: abate, reduce, lessen, *decrease: *restrain, curb, check, inhibit: *moderate, temper, qualify Antonyms: quicken …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Slacken — Balancieren auf der Slackline Slacken (Slacklinen, Slacklining) ist eine Trendsportart ähnlich dem Seiltanzen, bei der man auf einem Schlauchband oder Gurtband balanciert, das zwischen zwei Befestigungspunkten gespannt ist. Im Gegensatz zum… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • slacken — slack|en [ slækən ] verb intransitive or transitive 1. ) slacken or slacken off to become slower or less active, or make something become slower or less active: Interest in the project shows no sign of slackening. He slackened his pace. 2. ) to… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • slacken — [[t]slæ̱kən[/t]] slackens, slackening, slackened 1) V ERG If something slackens or if you slacken it, it becomes slower, less active, or less intense. Inflationary pressures continued to slacken last month... [V n] The Conservative government… …   English dictionary

  • slacken — UK [ˈslækən] / US verb [intransitive/transitive] Word forms slacken : present tense I/you/we/they slacken he/she/it slackens present participle slackening past tense slackened past participle slackened 1) slacken or slacken off to become slower… …   English dictionary

  • Slacken — 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

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