luːs məˈɹæs ˈkwɒɡ.maɪə(ɹ) ˈkwæɡ.maɪəɹ ɹɪˈlæks ˈslæ.kən ˈslæknəs sləʊ sloʊ slʌmp 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 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 not tense or taut the old man's skin hung loose and grey slack and wrinkled skin slack sails a slack rope a slack grip avoid responsibilities and work, be idle a cord or rope or cable that is hanging loosely he took up the slack the quality of being loose (not taut) he hadn't counted on the slackness of the rope a soft wet area of low-lying land that sinks underfoot a stretch of water without current or movement suddenly they were in a slack and the water was motionless 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