slackness noun the slackness of the London market at present The report accuses the government of slackness. High prices and the absence of competition may make firms slack in their use of resources. 2 if someone is being slack, they are not taking enough care or making enough effort to do things right The report criticized airport security as “disgracefully slack”. The workers feared being laid off (=losing their jobs ) in slack periods. 'You start tomorrow at nine, ' he told them, 'and no slacking, or there'll be trouble.' From Longman Business Dictionary slack slack 1 / slæk / adjective 1 COMMERCE a slack period of time is one with less business activity than usual Business is slack just now.Antonio Ramos, a mariachi since he turned 12, has seen the work for mariachis slack off too.A lifetime of low-level employment is a high price to pay for slacking off in junior high.I guess I thought that since everything was starting to turn around, I could slack off a little.It did not slack in the least until Centreville was reached.The horse slacked his pace, swung his neck down to ease the tension in it, and relaxed his tail.She called me into her office and accused me of slacking and taking too many holidays!.→ See Verb table Examples from the Corpus slack slack slack 3 ( also slack off ) verb WORK HARD to make less effort than usual, or to be lazy in your work He was accused of slacking and taking too many holidays. Lucy never wore slacks or make-up, except when he permitted it in order to cover a bruise.Sheila sauntered in wearing slacks and an artificial-silk print blouse with a bow at around 7: 30.Hand coils create unwanted slack and immediately tighten around the hand under load, trapping the fingers and preventing an effective arrest.Therese was huddled in nearly every garment she possessed, slacks, jumpers, her shabby grey coat and the multicoloured shawl.People in San Francisco seem to have no slack in their lives anymore.The workforce has been reduced, so there's very little slack in the system.The idea of Jim Morrison in a pair of black cotton slacks doesn't quite have the same ring, does it?.He wore a short-sleeved shirt and pale cinnamon slacks.An ordinary plaid blouse, and slacks, I decide.4 → cut/give somebody some slack 5 → slacks 6 British English very small pieces of coal Examples from the Corpus slack Her body went momentarily slack with relief, or was it disappointment? slack slack 2 noun 1 → take up/pick up the slack 2 LOOSE part of a rope that is not stretched tight 3 AVAILABLE 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.Keep the rope slack till I say `pull'.Today a changing environment has forced many such organization either to become low slack systems or to go out of business.Savings and loan institutions, for example, were once high slack systems, and appropriately so in a regulated industry.If the rope between climbers is slack, one slip can be fatal.This can result due to reductions in overmanning and improvements in other types of slack management procedures.She didn't want to come against the flat slack flesh.Corporate profits have been hurt by slack demand.I let the rope go slack as the boat came closer.The report criticized airport security as 'disgracefully slack.'.slackly adverb - slackness noun Examples from the Corpus slack 3 CARELESS 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.

2 BUSY/HAVE A LOT TO DO with less business activity than usual SYN slow Business remained slack throughout the day.

From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English slack slack 1 / slæk / adjective 1 LOOSE hanging loosely, or not pulled tight OPP taut Keep the rope slack until I tell you to pull it.

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