paddle vs slack

paddle

noun
  • A meandering walk or dabble through shallow water, especially at the seaside. 

  • The use of a paddle to propel a boat; a session of paddling. 

  • A broad, flat device used in striking the ball, analogous to a racket in tennis. 

  • A blade of a waterwheel. 

  • A flap of attached skin that has been cut away from a wound. 

  • A broad, flat spanking implement. 

  • A double-bladed version with blades at each end of the shaft is used for kayaking. 

  • A handheld electrode used for defibrillation or cardioversion. 

  • A person's hand. 

  • In a sluice, a panel that controls the flow of water. 

  • A paddlewheel. 

  • A flat limb of an aquatic animal, adapted for swimming. 

  • A slat of a paddleboat's wheel. 

  • A flat board with a number of holes or indentations, used to carry small alcoholic drinks such as shots. 

  • A single-bladed version is typically used on canoes and some other small boats. 

  • A kitchen utensil shaped like a paddle and used for mixing, beating etc. 

verb
  • To row a boat with less than one's full capacity. 

  • To toddle. 

  • To spank with a paddle. 

  • To propel something through water with a paddle, oar, hands, etc. 

  • To pat or stroke amorously or gently. 

  • To tread upon; to trample. 

  • To walk or dabble playfully in shallow water, especially at the seaside. 

  • To dog paddle in water. 

slack

noun
  • A tidal marsh or shallow that periodically fills and drains. 

  • Unconditional listening attention given by client to patient. 

  • A temporary speed restriction where track maintenance or engineering work is being carried out at a particular place. 

  • The part of anything that hangs loose, having no strain upon it. 

  • Small coal; coal dust. 

  • A valley, or small, shallow dell. 

verb
  • To slacken. 

  • To lose cohesion or solidity by a chemical combination with water; to slake. 

adj
  • Moderately warm. 

  • Vulgar; sexually explicit, especially in dancehall music. 

  • Not active or busy, successful, or violent. 

  • Excess; surplus to requirements. 

  • Lax; not tense; not firmly extended. 

  • Lacking diligence or care; not earnest or eager. 

  • Lax. 

  • Moderate in speed. 

  • Weak; not holding fast. 

adv
  • Slackly. 

How often have the words paddle and slack occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )