slake
UK: sleɪk | US: sleɪk
vt. to satisfy (thirst, desire, or effort)
vt. to cool or refresh, especially with liquid
vt. to lessen the intensity of (e.g., lime slaking in water)
slake = slak<to loosen, mitigate> + e<verb suffix>
- slak (from Old English slacian, meaning "to loosen, slacken, or mitigate")
- e (a common verb-forming suffix in Middle English)
Etymology Origin:
The word "slake" traces back to Old English slacian, derived from Proto-Germanic slakōną, meaning "to slacken or become less intense." Originally tied to physical loosening (e.g., slackening a rope), it evolved metaphorically to describe quenching thirst or satisfying desires. The connection lies in the idea of "relieving tension"—whether physical (thirst) or chemical (lime slaking in water).
The cold lemonade slaked his thirst after the long hike.
She slaked her curiosity by reading the entire book in one night.
Builders slake lime with water to create mortar.
Nothing could slake his ambition for success.
The rain slaked the parched soil of the farmland.