branch vs slack

branch

noun
  • A creek or stream which flows into a larger river. 

  • An area in business or of knowledge, research. 

  • A local congregation of the LDS Church that is not large enough to form a ward; see Wikipedia article on ward in LDS church. 

  • The woody part of a tree arising from the trunk and usually dividing. 

  • Any of the parts of something that divides like the branch of a tree. 

  • A sequence of code that is conditionally executed. 

  • One of the portions of a curve that extends outwards to an indefinitely great distance. 

  • A group of related files in a source control system, including for example source code, build scripts, and media such as images. 

  • A branch line. 

  • A certificate given by Trinity House to a pilot qualified to take navigational control of a ship in British waters. 

  • A location of an organization with several locations. 

  • A line of family descent, in distinction from some other line or lines from the same stock; any descendant in such a line. 

verb
  • To jump to a different location in a program, especially as the result of a conditional statement. 

  • To arise from the trunk or a larger branch of a tree. 

  • To strip of branches. 

  • To discipline (a union member) at a branch meeting. 

  • To produce branches. 

  • To (cause to) divide into separate parts or subdivisions. 

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. 

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. 

verb
  • To slacken. 

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

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