📉 A drop in activity 🪢 Loose part 😴 To avoid work 🪨 Coal dust 🐢 To slow down 🔧 To loosen 🪢 Loose or not tight 🦆 Wet soft land 🪟 Not strict 🌊 Calm water 🧪 To add water

slack

15 8.9

Fine coal dust and small coal pieces left after sifting

noun
/slæk/

: polvo de carbón

The miner collected the slack from the ground to sell it as a byproduct.

Examples

In the processing plant, the slack is mixed with dirt and removed regularly to ensure efficiency.
The man was wearing slacks, brown slacks, brown shoes, and a striped shirt.

Fiction book (1992)
She's wearing black wool slacks and a sweater that glitters.

Fiction book (1992)
By and by, two women in black slacks and white blouses came in with trays of hot hors d'oeuvres.

Fiction book (1990)
Albov, however, appeared well-rested, in a tweed jacket and slacks, with an aura of aftershave.

Fiction book (1992)
After the coal was screened, the slack left behind was used to fuel the furnace.

Synonyms

dust

vsslack

706 1.0

Tiny, dry particles that collect on surfaces or float in the air

is specific coal residue mixed with dirt rather than general fine particles

sea coal

vsslack

Archaic

9.9

A fine dark powder from coal that workers put on molds when they pour hot metal

is leftover fine particles mixed with dirt from screening coal

Compounds

slack water

Specialized

1 7.9

A time when a tidal river or sea is nearly still as the tide turns

slack tide

Specialized

1 7.0

A short time when the water is almost still before the current changes direction

slack Alice

Offensive

9.9

A person who is often lazy and late finishing tasks

slack suit

Archaic

6.3

A casual matching set of trousers and jacket worn for informal occasions

How Big

coal size

Specialized

6.1

slack

15 8.9

Surface Forms

slack singular

slacks plural

Etymology

Slack for fine coal dust likely comes from the idea of 'loose' bits, from the old root slak, so slack is the small, loose pieces left after coal is screened.