different between slack vs spack
slack
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)
- (uncountable) The part of anything that hangs loose, having no strain upon it.
- (countable) A tidal marsh or shallow that periodically fills and drains.
- (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 […]
- 1979, Richard Dean Rosen, Psychobabble (page 93)
Synonyms
- (tidal marsh): slough
Translations
Adjective
slack (comparative slacker, superlative slackest)
- (normally said of a rope) Lax; not tense; not firmly extended.
- Weak; not holding fast.
- Moderate in some capacity.
- Moderately warm.
- Moderate in speed.
- Moderately warm.
- lacking diligence or care; not earnest or eager.
- Not active, successful, or violent.
- Excess; surplus to requirements.
- (slang, Caribbean, Jamaican) vulgar; sexually explicit, especially in dancehall music.
- (linguistics) Lax.
Synonyms
- (not violent, rapid, or pressing): slow, moderate, easy
Derived terms
- slacken
- slack-jawed
- slackness
Translations
Adverb
slack (not comparable)
- 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)
- To slacken.
- In this business of growing rich, poor men […] should slack their pace.
- (obsolete) To mitigate; to reduce the strength of.
- 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)
- (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)
- (countable) A valley, or small, shallow dell.
Etymology 5
Probably from German Schlacke (“dross, slag”). Doublet of slag.
Noun
slack (uncountable)
- (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 […]
- 1905, Colliery Engineer (volume 25, page 107)
Synonyms
- culm
Derived terms
- nutty slack
Anagrams
- calks, kcals, lacks
slack From the web:
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spack
English
Etymology
Possibly a contraction of spastic (as a term of abuse).
Pronunciation
Noun
spack (plural spacks)
- (Britain slang, derogatory) A clumsy, foolish, or mentally deficient person.
- Synonyms: spacko, spaz
- For quotations using this term, see Citations:spack.
Derived terms
- spack attack
Related terms
- spacko
- spacka
- spacker
- spaz
- spastic
Anagrams
- packs
German
Etymology
From Middle Low German spak (“thin, dry, brittle”) from spake (“brushwood”). Or from rare Middle Low German spak (“tame, calm”) from an unknown source.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /?pak/, [?pak?]
- Rhymes: -ak
Adjective
spack (comparative spacker, superlative am spacksten)
- (regional, Northern Germany, usually of people) thin, scrawny (having an unusually low amount of both muscle and fat)
- (regional, Northern Germany, of wood) dry, brittle
Declension
Related terms
- Spacken
Further reading
- “spack” in Duden online
spack From the web:
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