different between gradual vs slack

English

Alternative forms

• graduall (obsolete)

Etymology

From Medieval Latin gradu?lis, from Latin gradus (“step”), from Proto-Indo-European *g?rad?-, *g?red?- (“to walk, go”). Cognate with Gothic ???????????????????? (griþs, “step, grade”), Bavarian Gritt (“step, stride”).

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /???æd?u?l/, /???æd?w?l/, /???æd??l/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /???ad?u?l/, /???adju?l/, /???ad??l/
• (General New Zealand) IPA^(key): /????d???l/, /????d??l/
• (obsolete) IPA^(key): /-uæl/
• Hyphenation: grad?u?al, grad?ual, gradu?al

Adjective

gradual (comparative more gradual, superlative most gradual)

1. Proceeding or advancing by small, slow, regular steps or degrees

Synonyms

• stepwise

Antonyms

• sudden
• abrupt

Derived terms

• gradually

Translations

See also

• insidious

Noun

gradual (plural graduals)

1. (Christianity) An antiphon or responsory after the epistle, in the Mass, which was sung on the steps, or while the deacon ascended the steps.
2. (Christianity) A service book containing the musical portions of the Mass.

Translations

Catalan

Etymology

From Medieval Latin gradu?lis.

Pronunciation

• (Balearic, Central) IPA^(key): /???.du?al/
• (Valencian) IPA^(key): /??a.du?al/
• Rhymes: -al

Adjective

gradual (masculine and feminine plural graduals)

1. gradual

Derived terms

• gradualment

Related terms

• grau

Further reading

• “gradual” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “gradual” in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana.
• “gradual” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “gradual” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

Galician

Etymology

From Medieval Latin gradu?lis.

Adjective

gradual m or f (plural graduais)

1. gradual

Derived terms

• gradualmente

Related terms

• grao

Further reading

• “gradual” in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega, Royal Galician Academy.

Portuguese

Etymology

From Medieval Latin gradu?lis.

Adjective

gradual m or f (plural graduais, comparable)

1. gradual

Inflection

Derived terms

• gradualmente

Further reading

• “gradual” in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa.

Spanish

Etymology

From Medieval Latin gradu?lis.

Adjective

gradual (plural graduales)

1. gradual

Derived terms

• gradualmente

Related terms

• graduar
• grado

Noun

gradual m (plural graduales)

1. (Roman Catholic Church) gradual

Further reading

• “gradual” in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014.

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /slæk/
• Rhymes: -æk

Etymology 1

From Middle English slak, from Old English slæc (“slack”), from Proto-Germanic *slakaz. For sense of coal dust, compare slag.

Noun

slack (countable and uncountable, plural slacks)

1. (uncountable) The part of anything that hangs loose, having no strain upon it.

2. (countable) A tidal marsh or shallow that periodically fills and drains.
3. (uncountable, psychotherapy) Unconditional listening attention given by client to patient.
   • 1979, Richard Dean Rosen, Psychobabble (page 93)

     The counselor is directed to give his client "free attention," or "slack," performing a kind of vigil, a version of Carl Rogers's "unconditional positive regard."

   • 1983, Harvey Jackins, The Reclaiming of Power (page 14)

     We have apparently been doing this all our lives, since we were first distressed. This collection of ancient habits seems to be "energized" by the presence, or even the promise, of "slack" or free attention from any person in the situation […]

Synonyms

• (tidal marsh): slough

Translations

Adjective

slack (comparative slacker, superlative slackest)

1. (normally said of a rope) Lax; not tense; not firmly extended.

2. Weak; not holding fast.

3. Moderate in some capacity.
   1. Moderately warm.

   2. Moderate in speed.

4. lacking diligence or care; not earnest or eager.
5. Not active, successful, or violent.
6. Excess; surplus to requirements.

7. (slang, Caribbean, Jamaican) vulgar; sexually explicit, especially in dancehall music.
8. (linguistics) Lax.

Synonyms

• (not violent, rapid, or pressing): slow, moderate, easy

Derived terms

• slacken
• slack-jawed
• slackness

Translations

Adverb

slack (not comparable)

1. Slackly.

Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle English slakken, slaken, from Old English slacian, from Proto-Germanic *slak?n? (“to slack, slacken”).

Verb

slack (third-person singular simple present slacks, present participle slacking, simple past and past participle slacked)

1. To slacken.

   • In this business of growing rich, poor men […] should slack their pace.

2. (obsolete) To mitigate; to reduce the strength of.
3. To lose cohesion or solidity by a chemical combination with water; to slake.

Derived terms

• slack off

Translations

Etymology 3

Either from the adjective in Etymology 1 or the verb in Etymology 2.

Noun

slack (plural slacks)

1. (rail transport) A temporary speed restriction where track maintenance or engineering work is being carried out at a particular place.

Etymology 4

From Middle English slak, from Old Norse slakki (“a slope”). Cognate with Icelandic slakki, Norwegian slakke.

Noun

slack (plural slacks)

1. (countable) A valley, or small, shallow dell.

Etymology 5

Probably from German Schlacke (“dross, slag”). Doublet of slag.

Noun

slack (uncountable)

1. (mining) Small coal; coal dust.
   • 1905, Colliery Engineer (volume 25, page 107)

     One of the important improvements of recent years has been attained by mixing the peat pulp as it passes through the grinding machine, with other inflammable materials, such as bituminous coal dust, or slack […]

Synonyms

• culm

Derived terms

• nutty slack

Anagrams

• calks, kcals, lacks