Lighten vs Slacken - What's the difference?
lighten | slacken | Related terms |
To alleviate; to reduce the burden of.
To make light or lighter in weight.
To make less serious or more cheerful.
* Bible, Psalms xxxiv. 5
To make brighter or clearer; to illuminate.
* Dryden
To become light or lighter in weight.
To become less serious or more cheerful.
To become brighter or clearer; to brighten.
To burst forth or dart, as lightning; to shine with, or like, lightning; to flash.
* Shakespeare
To emit or disclose in, or as if in, lightning; to flash out, like lightning.
* Shakespeare
To descend; to light.
* Book of Common Prayer
To illuminate with knowledge; to enlighten.
* Sir J. Davies
To gradually decrease in intensity or tautness; to become slack.
* 1900 , , The House Behind the Cedars , Chapter I,
* 1908 ,
To make slack, less taut, or less intense.
* 1986 , Mari Sandoz, The Horsecatcher?
To deprive of cohesion by combining chemically with water; to slake.
Lighten is a related term of slacken.
In lang=en terms the difference between lighten and slacken
is that lighten is to emit or disclose in, or as if in, lightning; to flash out, like lightning while slacken is to make slack, less taut, or less intense.As verbs the difference between lighten and slacken
is that lighten is to alleviate; to reduce the burden of while slacken is to gradually decrease in intensity or tautness; to become slack.lighten
English
Verb
(en verb)- They looked unto him, were lightened .
- to lighten''' an apartment with lamps or gas; to '''lighten the streets
- A key of fire ran all along the shore, / And lightened all the river with a blaze.
- This dreadful night, / That thunders, lightens , opens graves, and roars / As doth the lion.
- His eye lightens forth / Controlling majesty.
- O Lord, let thy mercy lighten upon us.
- Lighten my spirit with one clear heavenly ray.
Conjugation
(en-conj-simple)Derived terms
* lighten upslacken
English
Verb
(en verb)- The pace slackened .
- During this interlude, Warwick, though he had slackened his pace measurably, had so nearly closed the gap between himself and them as to hear the old woman say, with the dulcet negro intonation:...
- He seemed tired, and the Rat let him rest unquestioned, understanding something of what was in his thoughts; knowing, too, the value all animals attach at times to mere silent companionship, when the weary muscles slacken and the mind marks time.
- Elk slackened the rope so he could walk farther away, and together they went awkwardly up the trail toward the grassy little flat...
- to slack lime