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nutty slack

(Britain, historical) A cheap fuel consisting of dust]] and lumps]] of coal; unlike other solid fuels it was not rationed during the period after World War II.

ˌnʌti ˈslækDocumented since 2010s2010sGen Z184 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
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Born ~2012 · no dated citations yet
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UK
#1·Apr 27, 2026UK

(Britain, historical) A cheap fuel consisting of dust]] and lumps]] of coal; unlike other solid fuels it was not rationed during the period after World War II.

Mr. Nabarro asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the calorific value of nutty slack currently being marketed to domestic consumers, ration-free, by the National Coal Board, compared with normal house coals; what quantity of nutty slack i…
Origin: [[File:SUPPLY OF NUTTY SLACK AT RAILFEST AT YORK JUNE 2012 (7168878331).jpg|thumb|A pile of nutty slack at the National Railway Museum in York, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom.]] From. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
For parents

"nutty slack" means: A cheap fuel consisting of dust]] and lumps]] of coal; unlike other solid fuels it was not rationed during the period after World War II.. This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.

For ESL learners

"nutty slack" means: A cheap fuel consisting of dust]] and lumps]] of coal; unlike other solid fuels it was not rationed during the period after World War II.. Register: neutral, standard English, usable in most everyday contexts. Note the regional or dialect label (historical) — usage may sound odd outside that variety. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally

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For specific readers

"nutty slack" means: A cheap fuel consisting of dust]] and lumps]] of coal; unlike other solid fuels it was not rationed during the period after World War II.. This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.

Why is this section here?

Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.

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