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slacken

   Also found in: Encyclopedia, Wikipedia 0.03 sec.
slack·en  (slkn)
tr. & intr.v. slack·ened, slack·en·ing, slack·ens
1. To make or become slower; slow down: The runners slackened their pace. Air speed slackened.
2. To make or become less tense, taut, or firm; loosen: I slackened the line to let the fish swim. The tension in the board room finally slackened.
3. To make or become less vigorous, intense, or severe; ease: slacken discipline; afraid that morale might slacken.

slacken
Verb
(often foll. by off)
1. to make or become looser
2. to make or become slower or less intense: to slacken the pace of reform
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Verb1.slacken - become slow or slower; "Production slowed"
weaken - become weaker; "The prisoner's resistance weakened after seven days"
2.slacken - make less active or fast; "He slackened his pace as he got tired"; "Don't relax your efforts now"
minify, decrease, lessen - make smaller; "He decreased his staff"
3.slacken - become looser or slack; "the rope slackened"
weaken - become weaker; "The prisoner's resistance weakened after seven days"
ease off, slacken off, ease up, flag - become less intense
4.slacken - make slack as by lessening tension or firmness
loosen, loose - make loose or looser; "loosen the tension on a rope"
dowse, douse - slacken; "douse a rope"

slacken
verb (often with off) lessen, reduce, decrease, ease (off), moderate, diminish, slow down, drop off, abate, let up, slack off
Translations
Spanish slacken [ˈslækn] (also: slacken off) viaflojarse
vtaflojar [+ speed]; disminuir

French slacken [ˈslækn] (also: slacken off) viralentir, diminuer
vtrelâcher

German slacken [ˈslækn] slack vi (also: slacken off) (speed, rain) → nachlassen: (pace) → langsamer werden: (demand) → zurückgehen
vt (grip) → lockern;
(speed) → verringern;
(pace) → verlangsamen

Italian slacken [ˈslækn] (also: slacken off) virallentare, diminuire
vtallentare [+ pressure]; diminuire

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You see, sir," he went on, "if once we dropped to leeward of the landing-place, it's hard to say where we should get ashore, besides the chance of being boarded by the gigs; whereas, the way we go the current must slacken, and then we can dodge back along the shore.
It might be thought that, in his anxiety, he would be constantly watching the changes of the wind, the disorderly raging of the billows--every chance, in short, which might force the Mongolia to slacken her speed, and thus interrupt his journey.
He ran swiftly, till want of breath compelled him to slacken his pace as he was entering the village at the turning close to the Rainbow.
 
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