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slackenmore about slacken

slacken

 

  4  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  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) 
 
  2.  To  neglect;  to  be  remiss  in  [Obs.]  --Shak. 
 
  Slack  not  the  pressage.  --Dryden. 
 
  3.  To  deprive  of  cohesion  by  combining  chemically  with  water; 
  to  slake;  as  to  slack  lime. 
 
  4.  To  cause  to  become  less  eager;  to  repress;  to  make  slow  or 
  less  rapid;  to  retard;  as  to  slacken  pursuit;  to  slacken 
  industry.  ``Rancor  for  to  slack.''  --Chaucer. 
 
  I  should  be  grieved,  young  prince,  to  think  my 
  presence  Unbent  your  thoughts,  and  slackened  'em  to 
  arms.  --Addison. 
 
  In  this  business  of  growing  rich,  poor  men  should 
  slack  their  pace.  --South. 
 
  With  such  delay  Well  plased,  they  slack  their 
  course.  --Milton. 
 
  5.  To  cause  to  become  less  intense;  to  mitigate;  to  abate;  to 
  ease. 
 
  To  respite,  or  deceive,  or  slack  thy  pain  Of  this 
  ill  mansion.  --Milton. 
 
  {Air-slacked  lime},  lime  slacked  by  exposure  to  the  air,  in 
  consequence  of  the  absorption  of  carton  dioxide  and  water, 
  by  which  it  is  converted  into  carbonate  of  lime  and 
  hydrate  of  lime. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Slack  \Slack\,  Slacken  \Slack"en\,  v.  i.  [imp.  &  p.  p. 
  {Slacked},  {Slackened};  p.  pr  &  vb  n.  {Slacking}, 
  {Slackening}.]  [See  {Slack},  a.] 
  1.  To  become  slack;  to  be  made  less  tense,  firm,  or  rigid;  to 
  decrease  in  tension;  as  a  wet  cord  slackens  in  dry 
  weather. 
 
  2.  To  be  remiss  or  backward;  to  be  negligent. 
 
  3.  To  lose  cohesion  or  solidity  by  a  chemical  combination 
  with  water;  to  slake;  as  lime  slacks. 
 
  4.  To  abate;  to  become  less  violent. 
 
  Whence  these  raging  fires  Will  slacken,  if  his 
  breath  stir  not  their  flames.  --Milton. 
 
  5.  To  lose  rapidity;  to  become  more  slow;  as  a  current  of 
  water  slackens. 
 
  6.  To  languish;  to  fail  to  flag. 
 
  7.  To  end  to  cease;  to  desist;  to  slake.  [Obs.] 
 
  That  through  your  death  your  lineage  should  slack. 
  --Chaucer. 
 
  They  will  not  of  that  firste  purpose  slack. 
  --Chaucer. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  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}.] 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  slacken 
  v  1:  become  slow  or  slower;  "Production  slowed"  [syn:  {slow},  {slow 
  down},  {slow  up},  {slack}] 
  2:  make  less  active  or  fast  "He  slackened  his  pace  as  he  got 
  tired"  [syn:  {slack},  {slack  up}] 
  3:  become  looser  or  slack;  "the  rope  slackened" 
  4:  make  slack  as  by  lessening  tension  or  firmness  [syn:  {remit}]




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