Words / C2

LAKS/læks/

Lax means not strict or careful enough: lax security, lax about deadlines. Careless (already in the dictionary) is everyday; lenient (already in the dictionary) is mild in punishment, a cousin not a synonym. Scrupulous (already in the dictionary) is the opposite flavour — carefully honest and exact. Do not call loose control of draft grades “trust”.

Meaning

Not strict or careful enough; slack.

Examples

• “Lax handling of draft grades is not “trust”.”
• “Careless is everyday (already in B1). Lenient is mild in judgement (already in C1). Scrupulous is exact and honest (already in C2) — the contrast. An embargo can be strict and still kind. A shared inbox of unpublished marks is a leak waiting. Name the owner; looseness is not culture.”

Good to know

Too slack; not strict enough. Everyday: careless / slack (already in this dictionary). Close: lenient (mild — already in C1). Opposite flavour: scrupulous (already in C2). Trust ≠ an unpublished mark-sheet.

Near in meaning

slack, careless, negligent, remiss

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