I. slack 1 /slæk/ BrE AmE adjective
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: sleac ]
1 . hanging loosely, or not pulled tight OPP taut :
Keep the rope slack until I tell you to pull it.
2 . with less business activity than usual SYN slow :
Business remained slack throughout the day.
3 . not 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]
II. slack 2 BrE AmE noun
1 . take up/pick up the slack
a) to make a system or organization as ↑ efficient as possible by making sure that money, space, or people are fully used:
Without another contract to help pick up the slack, employees may face job losses.
b) to do something that needs to be done because someone else is no longer doing it
c) to make a rope tighter
2 . [uncountable] part of a rope that is not stretched tight
3 . [uncountable] 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 slack spoken to allow someone to do something without criticizing them or making it more difficult:
Hey, cut me some slack, man. I’m only a few bucks short.
5 . slacks [plural] trousers:
a pair of slacks
dress slacks (=for more formal occasions)
6 . [uncountable] British English very small pieces of coal
III. slack 3 BrE AmE ( also slack off ) verb [intransitive]
to make less effort than usual, or to be lazy in your work:
He was accused of slacking and taking too many holidays.