relax
VerbWordNet 3.0
Verb (8)
- become less tense, rest, or take one's ease“He relaxed in the hot tub”“Let's all relax after a hard day's work”Synonyms: loosen upunbendunwinddecompressslow down
- make less taut“relax the tension on the rope”Synonyms: unbend
- become loose or looser or less tight“The noose loosened”“the rope relaxed”Synonyms: loosenloose
- cause to feel relaxed“A hot bath always relaxes me”Synonyms: unstrainunlaxloosen upunwindmake relaxed
- become less tense, less formal, or less restrained, and assume a friendlier manner“our new colleague relaxed when he saw that we were a friendly group”Synonyms: loosen up
- make less severe or strict“The government relaxed the curfew after most of the rebels were caught”Synonyms: loosen
- become less severe or strict“The rules relaxed after the new director arrived”Synonyms: loosen
- make less active or fast“He slackened his pace as he got tired”“Don't relax your efforts now”Synonyms: slackslackenslack up
Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)
1.To become lax, weak, or loose; as, to let one's grasp relax. [1913 Webster]
His knees relax with toil.— Pope.[1913 Webster]
2.To abate in severity; to become less rigorous. [1913 Webster]
In others she relaxed again, And governed with a looser rein.— Prior.[1913 Webster]
3.To remit attention or effort; to become less diligent; to unbend; as, to relax in study. [1913 Webster]
1.To make lax or loose; to make less close, firm, rigid, tense, or the like; to slacken; to loosen; to open; as, to relax a rope or cord; to relax the muscles or sinews. [1913 Webster]
Horror . . . all his joints relaxed.— Milton.[1913 Webster]
Nor served it to relax their serried files.— Milton.[1913 Webster]
2.To make less severe or rigorous; to abate the stringency of; to remit in respect to strenuousness, earnestness, or effort; as, to relax discipline; to relax one's attention or endeavors. [1913 Webster]
The statute of mortmain was at several times relaxed by the legislature.— Swift.[1913 Webster]
3.Hence, to relieve from attention or effort; to ease; to recreate; to divert; as, amusement relaxes the mind. [1913 Webster]
4.To relieve from constipation; to loosen; to open; as, an aperient relaxes the bowels. [1913 Webster]
Syn: To slacken; loosen; loose; remit; abate; mitigate; ease; unbend; divert. [1913 Webster]