slatch: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very Low (Archaic/Specialist)Archaic, Literary, Nautical
Quick answer
What does “slatch” mean?
A short period of calm weather or smooth water during a storm.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A short period of calm weather or smooth water during a storm; a temporary lull or slackening.
A brief respite or pause in activity, often used in nautical or meteorological contexts. Can also refer to the slack part of a rope.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Equally obsolete in both varieties. Slightly more likely to be encountered in historical British nautical writing.
Connotations
Evokes imagery of the sea, old sailing ships, and brief moments of reprieve in harsh conditions.
Frequency
Effectively zero in contemporary usage.
Grammar
How to Use “slatch” in a Sentence
[The storm/weather] + verb + a slatch[We/They] + enjoyed/waited for + the slatchVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “slatch” in a Sentence
noun
British English
- The old sailor prayed for a slatch to repair the torn sail.
- They took advantage of the slatch to row for shore.
American English
- The whalers hoped for a slatch in the icy squall.
- A brief slatch provided the only chance to bail out the boat.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Only in historical or literary analysis.
Everyday
Never used.
Technical
Obsolete in meteorology and nautical science.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “slatch”
- Using it in modern contexts.
- Confusing it with 'slash' or 'slack'.
- Misspelling as 'slutch'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is an archaic and highly specialized term rarely encountered outside of historical or literary contexts.
No, in standard historical usage, 'slatch' is solely a noun. Any verbal use would be non-standard and extremely rare.
The main risk is being misunderstood or sounding deliberately old-fashioned or pretentious, as almost no contemporary native speaker uses or expects to hear this word.
It is etymologically related to 'slack' (meaning loose or slow), sharing the idea of a reduction in intensity.
A short period of calm weather or smooth water during a storm.
Slatch is usually archaic, literary, nautical in register.
Slatch: in British English it is pronounced /slætʃ/, and in American English it is pronounced /slætʃ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “There's a slatch in every storm. (proverbial)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a storm SLACKening for a bit to let you catch your breath: SLACK + CATCH = SLATCH.
Conceptual Metaphor
ADVERSITY IS A STORM / A RESPITE IS A CALM.
Practice
Quiz
In which context would the word 'slatch' be most appropriately used?