puff vs slack

puff

verb
  • To pant. 

  • To inflate with pride, flattery, self-esteem, etc.; often with up. 

  • To cause to swell or dilate; to inflate. 

  • To emit smoke, gas, etc., in puffs. 

  • To swell with air; to be dilated or inflated. 

  • To blow as an expression of scorn. 

  • To repel with words; to blow at contemptuously. 

  • To breathe in a swelling, inflated, or pompous manner; hence, to assume importance. 

  • To praise with exaggeration; to flatter; to call public attention to by praises; to praise unduly. 

  • To drive with a puff, or with puffs. 

noun
  • A portion of fabric gathered up so as to be left full in the middle. 

  • A powder puff. 

  • A small quantity of gas or smoke in the air. 

  • A sudden but small gust of wind, smoke, etc. 

  • A light cake filled with cream, cream cheese, etc. 

  • A puffball. 

  • A region of a chromosome exhibiting a local increase in diameter. 

  • Synonym of poof: a male homosexual, especially an effeminate one. 

  • The drug cannabis. 

  • A flamboyant or alluring statement of praise. 

  • The ability to breathe easily while exerting oneself. 

  • A sharp exhalation of a small amount of breath through the mouth. 

  • An act of inhaling smoke from a cigarette, cigar or pipe. 

slack

verb
  • To slacken. 

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

adv
  • Slackly. 

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. 

noun
  • 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. 

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

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

  • Small coal; coal dust. 

  • A valley, or small, shallow dell. 

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