Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'slacken'

English Word: slacken

Key Russian Translations:

• ослабить /ɐsˈɫabʲɪtʲ/ - [Formal; Used in contexts involving loosening or reducing tension]
• замедлить /zɐˈmʲedʲlʲɪtʲ/ - [Formal; Used when referring to slowing down speed or pace]

Frequency: Medium (These verbs are commonly encountered in everyday Russian, especially in technical, mechanical, or descriptive contexts, but not as basic as everyday verbs like "идти").

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; Involves understanding verb conjugations and contextual nuances. For 'ослабить', it's slightly more challenging due to irregular aspects, while 'замедлить' aligns with standard patterns.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

ослабить: /ɐsˈɫabʲɪtʲ/

Note on ослабить: The stress falls on the second syllable ('slab'). Pay attention to the palatalized 'bʲ' sound, which can be tricky for English speakers. Variations may occur in fast speech.

замедлить: /zɐˈmʲedʲlʲɪtʲ/

Note on замедлить: Stress is on the third syllable ('med'). The 'mʲ' is softly palatalized, similar to a gentle 'm' before a vowel.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To make less tight or taut (e.g., loosening a rope or reducing tension).

Translation(s) & Context:

• ослабить - Used in physical or metaphorical contexts, such as easing pressure in mechanics or emotions; common in formal writing or technical descriptions.

Usage Examples:

• Он ослабил верёвку, чтобы груз не повредился. (He slackened the rope so the load wouldn't get damaged.)

  He loosened the rope to prevent damage to the load.

• Врач посоветовал ослабить хватку на руле во время вождения. (The doctor advised slackening the grip on the steering wheel while driving.)

  The doctor recommended loosening the grip on the steering wheel while driving.

• Чтобы избежать перегрузки, инженер ослабил натяжение. (To avoid overload, the engineer slackened the tension.)

  To prevent overload, the engineer reduced the tension.

• Ослабить напряжение в отношениях помогло их разговор. (Slacking the tension in their relationship was aided by their conversation.)

  Loosening the tension in their relationship was helped by their talk.

2. To reduce speed or intensity (e.g., slowing down movement or pace).

Translation(s) & Context:

• замедлить - Applied to processes, speeds, or rates; often used in scientific, driving, or metaphorical contexts like slowing economic growth.

Usage Examples:

• Водитель замедлил машину на повороте. (The driver slackened the car on the turn.)

  The driver slowed down the car on the turn.

• Правительство решило замедлить темпы реформ. (The government decided to slacken the pace of reforms.)

  The government chose to slow down the pace of reforms.

• Чтобы сохранить энергию, она замедлила бег. (To conserve energy, she slackened her run.)

  To save energy, she slowed down her running.

• Замедлить производство помогло избежать дефицита. (Slacking production helped avoid a shortage.)

  Slowing down production helped prevent a shortage.

• В эксперименте учёные замедлили реакцию для анализа. (In the experiment, scientists slackened the reaction for analysis.)

  In the experiment, scientists slowed the reaction for detailed analysis.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'ослабить' and 'замедлить' are imperfective verbs in Russian, which means they describe ongoing or repeated actions. They follow standard first-conjugation patterns but have aspectual pairs (perfective forms exist). Here's a breakdown:

For 'ослабить' (imperfective: ослаблять; perfective: ослабить):

For 'замедлить' (imperfective: замедлять; perfective: замедлить): It has regular conjugations similar to 'ослабить' but is more straightforward.

These verbs do not change based on gender in the infinitive form but adjust in past tense. They are aspectual, so choose based on completeness of action.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • уменьшить (umen'shit') - To reduce; often used interchangeably with ослабить in non-physical contexts, but more about quantity.
  • снижать (snizhat') - To lower or decrease; implies gradual reduction, suitable for замедлить in speed contexts.
• Antonyms:
  • усилить (usilit') - To strengthen or intensify.
  • ускорить (uskorit') - To speed up or accelerate.

Related Phrases:

• ослабить хватку - To loosen one's grip; Used in contexts of control or tension, e.g., in negotiations.
• замедлить темп - To slow down the pace; Common in discussions about work or exercise for emphasis on rhythm.
• ослабить контроль - To slacken control; Implies reducing oversight, often in management or parenting.

Usage Notes:

'Slacken' corresponds most directly to 'ослабить' for physical loosening and 'замедлить' for speed reduction. Choose 'ослабить' in formal or technical settings where tension is involved, as it's more precise for mechanical contexts. 'Замедлить' is ideal for dynamic processes like motion. Be mindful of aspect in Russian: use imperfective forms (e.g., ослаблять) for ongoing actions and perfective (ослабить) for completed ones. English learners often overlook the need to pair these with appropriate adverbs for nuance, such as "немного" (a little) to mirror "slightly slacken".

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using 'ослабить' when 'замедлить' is more appropriate, e.g., saying "Я ослабил машину" instead of "Я замедлил машину" for slowing a car. Correct: Замедлил машину. Explanation: 'Ослабить' implies loosening, not speed, leading to confusion in context.
• Mistake: Incorrect verb aspect, e.g., using the imperfective 'ослаблять' for a one-time action. Correct: Use perfective 'ослабить' for completed actions. Explanation: Russian requires aspect agreement, unlike English, to convey action completion accurately.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, verbs like 'ослабить' and 'замедлить' often appear in contexts of endurance and control, reflecting historical influences from literature (e.g., Tolstoy's works on restraint) or modern life (e.g., traffic in urban areas). They symbolize the Russian value of measured pace in a vast, challenging environment, where rushing is less emphasized than in Western cultures.

Related Concepts:

• ускорить
• усилиить
• снижать темп