SLAKE

slack, slake

(verb) cause to heat and crumble by treatment with water; “slack lime”

slake, abate, slack

(verb) make less active or intense

quench, slake, allay, assuage

(verb) satisfy (thirst); “The cold water quenched his thirst”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology 1

Verb

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

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

Synonyms: quench, extinguish

(transitive) To cool (something) with water or another liquid. [from 14thc.]

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

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

(intransitive, obsolete) Of a person: to become less energetic, to slacken in one's efforts. [11th-17thc.]

(intransitive, obsolete) To slacken; to become relaxed or loose. [11th-16thc.]

(intransitive, obsolete) To become less intense; to weaken, decrease in force. [14th-19thc.]

(intransitive, obsolete) To go out; to become extinct.

Etymology 2

Verb

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

(transitive, Scotland) To besmear.

Noun

slake (plural slakes)

(Scotland) A sloppy mess.

Anagrams

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

Source: Wiktionary


Slake, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Slaked; p. pr. & vb. n. Slaking.] Etym: [OE. slaken to render slack, to slake, AS. sleacian, fr. sleac slack. See Slack, v. & a.]

1. To allay; to quench; to extinguish; as, to slake thirst. "And slake the heavenly fire." Spenser. It could not slake mine ire nor ease my heart. Shak.

2. To mix with water, so that a true chemical combination shall take place; to slack; as, to slake lime.

Slake, v. i.

1. To go out; to become extinct. "His flame did slake." Sir T. Browne.

2. To abate; to become less decided. [R.] Shak.

3. To slacken; to become relaxed. "When the body's strongest sinews slake." [R.] Sir J. Davies.

4. To become mixed with water, so that a true chemical combination takes place; as, the lime slakes. Slake trough, a trough containing water in which a blacksmith cools a forging or tool.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



RESET




Word of the Day

7 May 2025

RUNNER

(noun) a person who is employed to deliver messages or documents; “he sent a runner over with the contract”


coffee icon

Coffee Trivia

In 1511, leaders in Mecca believed coffee stimulated radical thinking and outlawed the drink. In 1524, the leaders overturned that order, and people could drink coffee again.

coffee icon