Slack Very Common

dust consisting of a mixture of small coal fragments and coal dust and dirt that sifts out when coal is passed over a sieve

"The mine foreman ordered the crew to wear respirators because they had been inhaling too much slack while shoveling the sieved material."

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"

a stretch of water without current or movement

"suddenly they were in a slack and the water was motionless"

a soft wet area of low-lying land that sinks underfoot

"After the heavy rain, my boots sank deep into the muddy slack near the riverbank as I tried to cross."

the quality of being loose (not taut)

"he hadn't counted on the slackness of the rope"

a cord or rope or cable that is hanging loosely

"he took up the slack"

The part of anything that hangs loose, having no strain upon it.

"The old furnace needed fresh slack to keep the fire burning through the night."

A temporary speed restriction where track maintenance or engineering work is being carried out at a particular place.

A valley, or small, shallow dell.

Small coal; coal dust.

avoid responsibilities and work, be idle

"After weeks of crunch time to finish the project, the team finally got permission to slack for a few days off."

be inattentive to, or neglect

"He slacks his attention"

release tension on

"slack the rope"

make less active or fast

"He slackened his pace as he got tired"

"Don't relax your efforts now"

become slow or slower

"Production slowed"

make less active or intense

"The manager asked everyone to slack their pace during the lunch break so they could focus on a complex project later in the afternoon."

become less in amount or intensity

"The storm abated"

"The rain let up after a few hours"

cause to heat and crumble by treatment with water

"slack lime"

To slacken.

"After weeks of grueling shifts, he finally managed to slack his pace and enjoy a quiet evening at home."

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"

flowing with little speed as e.g. at the turning of the tide

"slack water"

lacking in rigor or strictness

"such lax and slipshod ways are no longer acceptable"

"lax in attending classes"

"slack in maintaining discipline"

Lax; not tense; not firmly extended.

"The old rope was too slack to hold the heavy load securely."

Slackly.

"The old man walked so slackly that he seemed to be carried by his own limbs rather than moving on them."

A surname​.

"The local history club invited Mr. Slack to speak about his family's early days in the valley."