slake

Meanings

Verb

• To satisfy (thirst, or other desires).
• To cool (something) with water or another liquid.
• To become mixed with water, so that a true chemical combination takes place.
• To mix with water, so that a true chemical combination takes place.
• Of a person: to become less energetic, to slacken in one's efforts.
• To slacken; to become relaxed or loose.
• To become less intense; to weaken, decrease in force.
• To go out; to become extinct.
• To besmear.

Noun

• A sloppy mess.

Origin

• From Middle English slaken ("to render slack, to slake"), from Old English sleacian, from Old English slæc ("slack"). Unrelated to, but possibly influenced by, the Old Norse sløkkva ("to extinguish"), compare Swedish släcka in the phrase släcka sin törst, släcka elden, and släckt kalk.
• Probably connected with Icelandic sleikja, "to lick", and German schlecken.