From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishslackslack1 /slæk/ adjective 1 LOOSEhanging loosely, or not pulled tight OPP taut Keep the rope slack until I tell you to pull it.2 BUSY/HAVE A LOT TO DOwith less business activity than usual SYN slow Business remained slack throughout the day.3 CARELESSnot taking enough care or making enough effort to do things correctly – used to show disapproval SYN careless Slack defending by Real Madrid allowed Manchester United to score. —slackly adverb —slackness noun [uncountable]
Examples from the Corpus
slack• The fan belt is a little slack.• The report criticized airport security as "disgracefully slack."• I let the rope go slack as the boat came closer.• Corporate profits have been hurt by slack demand.• She didn't want to come against the flat slack flesh.• This can result due to reductions in overmanning and improvements in other types of slack management procedures.• If the rope between climbers is slack, one slip can be fatal.• Savings and loan institutions, for example, were once high slack systems, and appropriately so in a regulated industry.• Today a changing environment has forced many such organization either to become low slack systems or to go out of business.• Keep the rope slack till I say `pull'.• Her body went momentarily slack with relief, or was it disappointment?slackslack2 noun 1 → take up/pick up the slack2 [uncountable]LOOSE part of a rope that is not stretched tight3 [uncountable]AVAILABLE 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 slack5 → slacks6 [uncountable] British English very small pieces of coalExamples from the Corpus
slack• An ordinary plaid blouse, and slacks, I decide.• He wore a short-sleeved shirt and pale cinnamon slacks.• The idea of Jim Morrison in a pair of black cotton slacks doesn't quite have the same ring, does it?• Leave a little slack in the line.• The workforce has been reduced, so there's very little slack in the system.• People in San Francisco seem to have no slack in their lives anymore.• Therese was huddled in nearly every garment she possessed, slacks, jumpers, her shabby grey coat and the multicoloured shawl.• Hand coils create unwanted slack and immediately tighten around the hand under load, trapping the fingers and preventing an effective arrest.• Sheila sauntered in wearing slacks and an artificial-silk print blouse with a bow at around 7: 30.• Lucy never wore slacks or make-up, except when he permitted it in order to cover a bruise.slackslack3 (also slack off) verb [intransitive] WORK HARDto make less effort than usual, or to be lazy in your work He was accused of slacking and taking too many holidays.→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
slack• She called me into her office and accused me of slacking and taking too many holidays!• The horse slacked his pace, swung his neck down to ease the tension in it, and relaxed his tail.• It did not slack in the least until Centreville was reached.• I guess I thought that since everything was starting to turn around, I could slack off a little.• A lifetime of low-level employment is a high price to pay for slacking off in junior high.• Antonio Ramos, a mariachi since he turned 12, has seen the work for mariachis slack off too.• This is no time to be slacking off!• But Le Carré's not slacking off.• "You start tomorrow at nine, " he told them, "and no slacking, or there'll be trouble."From Longman Business Dictionaryslackslack1 /slæk/ adjective1COMMERCEa slack period of time is one with less business activity than usualBusiness is slack just now.The workers feared being laid off (=losing their jobs) in slack periods.2if someone is being slack, they are not taking enough care or making enough effort to do things rightThe report criticized airport security as “disgracefully slack”.High prices and the absence of competition may make firms slack in their use of resources. —slackness noun [uncountable]the slackness of the London market at presentThe report accuses the government of slackness.slackslack2 (also slack off) verb [intransitive] to make less of an effort than usual or be lazy in your workHe was accused of slacking and taking too many holidays.→ See Verb tableslackslack3 noun [uncountable] money, space, or people that an organization is not using at present, but could use in the futureThere is very little slack in the training budget for this year.Origin slack1 Old English sleac 