different between slake vs slaken

English

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /sle?k/
• Rhymes: -e?k

Etymology 1

From Middle English slaken (“to render slack, to slake”), from Middle English sleacian, from sleac (“slack”).

The modern Swedish verb släcka retains most of the same meanings as listed below, as in släcka sin törst (“quench one's thirst”), släcka elden (“put out the fire”), and släckt kalk (“slaked lime”).

Verb

slake (third-person singular simple present slakes, present participle slaking, simple past and past participle slaked)

1. (transitive) To satisfy (thirst, or other desires). [from 14^thc.]

   Synonyms: quench, extinguish
2. (transitive) To cool (something) with water or another liquid. [from 14^thc.]
   • 1961, Lawrence Durrell, Justine, p.14:

     Notes for landscape tones. Long sequences of tempera. Light filtered through the essence of lemons. An air full of brick-dust - sweet smelling brick dust and the odour of hot pavements slaked with water.

3. (intransitive) To become mixed with water, so that a true chemical combination takes place.

5. (transitive) To mix with water, so that a true chemical combination takes place.

6. (intransitive, obsolete) Of a person: to become less energetic, to slacken in one's efforts. [11^th-17^thc.]
7. (intransitive, obsolete) To slacken; to become relaxed or loose. [11^th-16^thc.]
   • 1595, John Davies, Orchestra

     When the body's strongest sinews slake.

8. (intransitive, obsolete) To become less intense; to weaken, decrease in force. [14^th-19^thc.]
9. (intransitive, obsolete) To go out; to become extinct.
   • 1613, William Browne, Britannia's Pastorals

     His flame did slake.

Derived terms

• slaked
• slake trough

Translations

Etymology 2

Probably connected with Icelandic sleikja, "to lick", and German schlecken (“to lick”).

Verb

slake (third-person singular simple present slakes, present participle slaking, simple past and past participle slaked)

1. (transitive, Scotland) To besmear.

Noun

slake (plural slakes)

1. (Scotland) A sloppy mess.

Anagrams

• Akels, LASEK, Lakes, Leaks, kales, lakes, leaks

Norwegian Bokmål

Adjective

slake

1. definite singular/plural of slak

Norwegian Nynorsk

Adjective

slake

1. definite singular/plural of slak

English

Verb

slaken

1. Obsolete spelling of slacken

Anagrams

• ankles

Dutch

Etymology

From Middle Dutch slaken.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?sla?.k?(n)/
• Hyphenation: sla?ken
• Rhymes: -a?k?n

Verb

slaken

1. to utter (a sound, word or cry), especially a sigh; to heave; to fetch

Inflection