Relax — Defs

01 v. t. 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 …

imp. & p. p. Relaxed; p. pr. & vb. n. Relaxing

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.
“Horror . . . all his joints relaxed.” — Milton.

“Nor served it to relax their serried files.” — Milton.
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.
“The statute of mortmain was at several times relaxed by the legislature.” — Swift.
3.
Hence, to relieve from attention or effort; to ease; to recreate; to divert; as, amusement relaxes the mind.
4.
To relieve from constipation; to loosen; to open; as, an aperient relaxes the bowels.

Syn. To slacken; loosen; loose; remit; abate; mitigate; ease; unbend; divert.

02 v. i. To become lax, weak, or loose; as, to let one's grasp relax.

1.
To become lax, weak, or loose; as, to let one's grasp relax.
“His knees relax with toil.” — Pope.
2.
To abate in severity; to become less rigorous.
“In others she relaxed again, And governed with a looser rein.” — Prior.
3.
To remit attention or effort; to become less diligent; to unbend; as, to relax in study.

03 n. Relaxation.

04 a. Relaxed; lax; hence, remiss; careless.