different between spake vs slake

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /spe?k/
• Rhymes: -e?k

Etymology 1

From Middle English spake, spak, from Old Norse spakr (“wise, gentle, quiet”), from Proto-Germanic *spakaz (“wise, clever”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)pe?- (“to understand; intelligent, attentive”). Cognate with Swedish spak (“manageable”), Danish spag (“quiet, gentle, timid, tame”).

Adjective

spake (comparative more spake, superlative most spake)

1. (obsolete) Quiet; tame.
2. (obsolete) Ready; prompt.

Derived terms

• spakely

Etymology 2

From Middle English spak, from Old English spæc, first and third person singular past tense of specan (“to speak”). More at speak.

Verb

spake

1. (archaic) simple past tense of speak

References

• spake in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• spake in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

Anagrams

• -speak, Akpes, Paeks, Pasek, Peaks, kapes, peaks, speak

Middle English

Etymology 1

Noun

spake

1. Alternative form of spoke

Etymology 2

Verb

spake

1. first/third-person singular past indicative of speken

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