Slakings

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The act of satisfying thirst or hunger through consumption; the process of alleviating a feeling of desire or need; a means of quenching emotion or urge through fulfilling one's cravings or wants
2. Engaging in actions that fulfill physical cravings such as thirst or appetite; performing tasks that ease emotional or psychological desires; providing relief from discomfort by addressing longings or aspirations
3. The mission of dissipating thirst or hunger by delivering sustenance; the endeavor to reduce aspirations or yearnings through satisfying experiences; the act of addressing wants or emotions through gratifying means

Etymology: "Slakings" is the plural of "slaking," the act of quenching thirst or satisfying a desire. The noun comes from the verb "slake," which goes back to Old English "slacian," meaning "to make slack or loose," and is related to the adjective "slack." The sense of easing or loosening gave way over time to the sense of relieving a craving. The verb's older meaning survives in a more literal use: to slake lime is to combine it with water, a chemical reaction that causes it to crumble into powder. The related sense of satisfying thirst developed from the idea of loosening a burning drought, so that the parched throat is eased and relaxed. The plural form, "slakings," is less common than the singular and is used when referring to repeated or multiple acts of satisfying a want or need.

Synonyms: quenchings, satisfactions, reliefs

Antonyms: thirsts, deprivations, hungers