slacks

[ slaks ]

/ slæks /

noun (used with a plural verb)

men's or women's trousers for informal wear.

Nearby words

slack-baked, slack-jawed, slack-key, slacken, slacker, slacks, slacktivism, slag, slag cement, slag down, slag heap

Origin of slacks

First recorded in 1815–25; slack¹ + -s³

Definition for slacks (2 of 3)

slack

[ slak ]

/ slæk /

adjective

not tight, taut, firm, or tense; loose: a slack rope.

negligent; careless; remiss: slack proofreading.

slow, sluggish, or indolent: He is slack in answering letters.

not active or busy; dull; not brisk: the slack season in an industry.

moving very slowly, as the tide, wind, or water.

weak; lax.

Nautical. easy(def 15a).

adverb

in a slack manner.

noun

a slack condition or part.

the part of a rope, sail, or the like, that hangs loose, without strain upon it.

a decrease in activity, as in business or work: a sudden slack in output.

a period of decreased activity.

Geography. a cessation in a strong flow, as of a current at its turn.

a depression between hills, in a hillside, or in the land surface.

Prosody. (in sprung rhythm) the unaccented syllable or syllables.

British Dialect. a morass; marshy ground; a hollow or dell with soft, wet ground at the bottom.

verb (used with object)

to be remiss in respect to (some matter, duty, right, etc.); shirk; leave undone: He slacked the most important part.

to make or allow to become less active, vigorous, intense, etc.; relax (efforts, labor, speed, etc.); lessen; moderate (often followed by up).

to make loose, or less tense or taut, as a rope; loosen (often followed by off or out).

to slake (lime).

verb (used without object)

to be remiss; shirk one's duty or part.

to become less active, vigorous, rapid, etc. (often followed by up): Business is slacking up.

to become less tense or taut, as a rope; to ease off.

to become slaked, as lime.

Origin of slack

before 900; Middle English slac (adj.), Old English sleac, slæc; cognate with Old Norse slakr, Old High German slach, Latin laxus lax

SYNONYMS FOR slack

1 relaxed.

2 lazy, weak.

3 dilatory, tardy, late.

4 idle, quiet.

11 slowing, relaxation.

17 neglect.

18 reduce, slacken.

21 malinger.

Related forms

slack·ing·ly, adverbslack·ly, adverbslack·ness, nounun·slacked, adjective

un·slack·ing, adjective

Definition for slacks (3 of 3)

slack

[ slak ]

/ slæk /

noun

the fine screenings of coal.

Origin of slack

1400–50; late Middle English sleck < Middle Dutch slacke, slecke

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for slacks

Sitting at the desk was a man in his mid- to late 40s, balding, conventionally dressed in slacks and an Oxford shirt, no tie.
Writing a Novel: Even Making It Up Requires Research|Ridley Pearson|July 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The corollary being, if she slacks off, even a teensy bit, anything that goes wrong is her fault.
Medicine Bedevils Pregnant Women With Too Many Warnings About Risk|Lenore Skanazy|October 26, 2013|DAILY BEAST
There were the bodies of fourteen men, dressed in bloodied djellabahs or in shirts and slacks.
U.N. Ambassador Designate Samantha Power’s Greatest Journalistic Hits|Caitlin Dickson|June 6, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Amongst other things I sent home my 'slacks,' and never wore them again in France.
Q.6.a and Other places|Francis Buckley

Lorinda, in slacks and an old sweater, was so engrossed in feeding the flames that she did not hear when her name was called.
Whispering Walls|Mildred A. Wirt
Frederick entered the Mess with a decided sea-roll, hitched his slacks and berthed himself on the starboard settee.
Punch or the London Charivari, Vol. 158, March 24, 1920.|Various
"Of course I shall put in a claim for the slacks," I murmured.
Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 158, January 14, 1920|Various
He was on horseback, in slacks and in his shirt-sleeves; to live in one's shirt sleeves is a very common custom this weather.
At Ypres with Best-Dunkley|Thomas Hope Floyd

British Dictionary definitions for slacks (1 of 3)

slacks

/ (slæks) /

pl n

informal trousers worn by both sexes

British Dictionary definitions for slacks (2 of 3)

slack

/ (slæk) /

adjective

not tight, tense, or taut

negligent or careless

(esp of water, etc) moving slowly

(of trade, etc) not busy

phonetics another term for lax (def. 4)

adverb

in a slack manner

noun

a part of a rope, etc, that is slacktake in the slack

a period of decreased activity

a patch of water without current
a slackening of a current

prosody (in sprung rhythm) the unstressed syllable or syllables

verb

to neglect (one's duty, etc)

(often foll by off) to loosen; to make slack

chem a less common word for slake (def. 3)

Derived Forms

slackly, adverbslackness, noun

Word Origin for slack

Old English slæc, sleac; related to Old High German slah, Old Norse slākr bad, Latin laxus lax

British Dictionary definitions for slacks (3 of 3)

slack

/ (slæk) /

noun

small pieces of coal with a high ash content

Word Origin for slack

C15: probably from Middle Low German slecke; related to Dutch slak, German Schlacke dross

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012