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slacks

UK:^*^*UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈslæks/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/slæks/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(slaks)

slacks /slæks/USA pronunciation n. [plural]

Clothingtrousers for informal or casual wear:The slacks were too tight.

slacks (slaks),USA pronunciation n. (used with a pl. v.)

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

slack¹ + -s³ 1815–25

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

slacks /slæks/ pl n

informal trousers worn by both sexes

slack¹ /slæk/USA pronunciation adj., -er, -est, adv., n., v.
adj.

not tight, firm, or tense;
loose:a slack rope.
negligent;
careless;
remiss:slack in answering letters.
not active or busy;
not brisk:the slack season in an industry.

[uncountable]

a slack condition or part, esp. of a rope, sail, or the like, that hangs loose, without strain upon it:too much slack in the sails.

to fail to do one's duty or part, as by being lazy:[no object]often slacking at work.
to become less active, busy, or intense;
slacken:[~ + off/up]At last some of the work slacked off and he could relax.

slack•ness, n. [uncountable]

slack¹ (slak),USA pronunciation adj.

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.
[Naut.]easy (def. 15a).

adv.

in a slack manner.

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.
[Geog.]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.
[Pros.](in sprung rhythm) the unaccented syllable or syllables.
[Brit. Dial.]a morass;
marshy ground;
a hollow or dell with soft, wet ground at the bottom.
take up the slack:
- to pull in or make taut a loose section of a rope, line, wire, etc.:Take up the slack before releasing the kite.
- to provide or compensate for something that is missing or incomplete:New sources of oil will take up the slack resulting from the embargo.

v.t.

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

v.i.

to be remiss;
shirk one's duty or part.
to become less active, vigorous, rapid, etc. (often fol. by up):Business is slacking up.
to become less tense or taut, as a rope;
to ease off.
to become slaked, as lime.

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