1. SLAKE, N. 1
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1. The act of slacking or slackening in some respect; an instance of
this.

    2. A source or cause of slaking. rare{em}1.

2. SLAKE, N. 2
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Sc. and north. dial.

    A name given to several species of Algæ, including marine and edible
kinds as Ulva and Porphyra, and also the freshwater sorts, as
Enteromorpha and Conferva.

3. SLAKE, N. 3
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Chiefly north. dial.

    1. Mud, slime.

    2. A stretch of muddy ground left exposed by the tide; a mud-flat.

4. SLAKE, N. 4
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Obs.

    A flake.

5. SLAKE, N. 5
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Sc. and north. dial.

    A splashy daub; a smear; a lick, wipe, soft stroke, etc.

6. SLAKE
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obs. variant of SLACK n.1

7. SLAKE, A.
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Obs.

    1. Loose, relaxed; not tight. = SLACK a. 7.

    2. Slack, remiss. rare{em}1.

    3. slake water, = SLACK-WATER.

8. SLAKE, V. 1
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I. intr.

    {dag}1. Of persons: To diminish the intensity of one's efforts; to
become less energetic or eager; also, to undergo or manifest a weakening
or decrease in some specified respect. Obs.

  In some cases the sense approaches that of `cease'.

    {dag}b. Const. to with inf. Obs.

    {dag}c. Const. of something. Obs.

    {dag}d. To fall away from one; to depart. Obs.{em}1

    2.    {dag}a. To become relaxed, slack, or loose. Obs.

    b. Of lime: To become hydrated or slacked.

    3. To decrease in force or intensity; to become less violent,
oppressive, or painful; to abate, moderate. Now rare.

    b. Of fire: To burn less strongly; to die down, die away, go out.
Also fig.

    {dag}4. To become weaker or fainter; to lessen, fall off. Obs.

    {dag}b. To come to an end; to cease. Obs.

    {dag}5. To become or grow less in number, quantity, or volume; to
fall or subside. Obs.

    II. trans.

    {dag}6. To make slack or loose; to lessen the tension of; to allow
to become slack or relaxed. Obs.

    {dag}b. To let or set loose; to set free, release. Obs.

    {dag}c. To pour (on something). Obs. rare.

    d. To disintegrate or slack (lime).

    {dag}7. To make smaller or less in amount or size; to reduce,
diminish, lessen. Obs.

    8. To render less acute or painful; to abate, mitigate, or assuage.
Now rare.

    {dag}b. To relieve (one) from or of sorrow, etc.; to comfort. Obs.

    {dag}9. To make less vehement, violent, or intense; to diminish the
force or fury of. Obs.

    b. To allow to diminish in vehemence or vigour; to moderate (one's
anger, etc.). Now rare.

    10. To appease, allay, or satisfy (desire, thirst, {dag}hunger).

  Said either of the person or of the means.

    11. To quench or extinguish (fire); to cause to burn less strongly.
Also in fig. contexts.

    12. To cool or refresh by means of water or other fluid. Also fig.

    b. To moisten, wet, soak. (Cf. 6d.)

    {dag}13. To render less active or vigorous. Obs.

    {dag}b. To remit or slacken (exertion, etc.). Obs.

    {dag}14.    a. To put off, delay. Obs.{em}1

    {dag}b. To neglect, allow to pass. Obs.

9. SLAKE, V. 2
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dial.

    intr. and trans. To lick with the tongue; to smear, daub, wet
slightly, etc.

  Common in Sc. and north. dial. use; for variations of sense see the
Eng. Dial. Dict.