slack
[adjective]
Synonyms:
- loose, baggy, lax, limp, relaxed
- negligent, idle, inactive, lax, lazy, neglectful, remiss, slapdash, slipshod
- slow, dull, inactive, quiet, slow-moving, sluggish
[noun]
Synonyms:
- room, excess, give (informal), leeway
[verb]
Synonyms:
- shirk, dodge, idle, skive (Brit. slang)

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Antonyms: taut, tight, tighten
Contrasted words: assiduous, busy, diligent, industrious, sedulous, tensed, tightened, constant, equable, even, steady, uniform, firm, hard
Related Idioms: cut some slack, make slack
Related Words: dilatory, lackadaisical, lethargic, sluggish, faineant, indolent, lazy, slothful, inert, stagnant, feeble, infirm, soft, unsteady, weak, inactive, passive, supine, laggard, leisurely, slow

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. slack¹ /slæk/ adjective
[Language: Old English; Origin: sleac]

1. hanging loosely, or not pulled tight Antonym : taut:
Keep the rope slack until I tell you to pull it.

2. with less business activity than usual Synonym : slow:
Business remained slack throughout the day.

3. not taking enough care or making enough effort to do things correctly – used to show disapproval Synonym : careless:
Slack defending by Real Madrid allowed Manchester United to score.
—slackly adverb
—slackness noun [uncountable]

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. slack² noun

1. take up/pick up the slack
a) to make a system or organization as efficient as possible by making sure that money, space, or people are fully used:
Without another contract to help pick up the slack, employees may face job losses.
b) to do something that needs to be done because someone else is no longer doing it
c) to make a rope tighter

2. [uncountable] part of a rope that is not stretched tight

3. [uncountable] money, space, people, or time that an organization or person has available, but is not using fully:
There is still some slack in the budget.

4. cut/give somebody some slack spoken to allow someone to do something without criticizing them or making it more difficult:
Hey, cut me some slack, man. I’m only a few bucks short.

5. slacks [plural] trousers:
a pair of slacks
dress slacks (=for more formal occasions)

6. [uncountable] British English very small pieces of coal

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

III. slack³ (also slack off) verb [intransitive]
to make less effort than usual, or to be lazy in your work:
He was accused of slacking and taking too many holidays.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

slack
adj.
I. loose
VERBS be, feel, look, seem | become, go Let the reins go slack.
leave sth Leave the thread slightly slack to allow for movement.
ADV. very | completely Some of the ropes were completely slack.
a bit, fairly, slightly

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

slack
II. not busy
VERBS be, seem | become | remain The antiques business remained slack.
ADV. extremely, very | a bit, fairly, pretty, rather This season has been pretty slack for local hotels so far.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

slack
III. lazy
VERBS be | become
ADV. very | a bit, rather
PREP. in She knew she had been very slack in her church attendance recently.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲