Relax

Part of speech: noun (n.)

Relaxation. [Obs.] Feltham.

Part of speech: verb (v.)

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 rogorous; to abate the stringency of; to remit in respect to strenuousness, esrnestness, or effort; as, to relax discipline; to relax one's attention or endeavors. The stature of mortmain was at several times relaxed by the legilature. 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.

Synonyms: slacken; loosen; loose; remit; abate; mitigate; ease; unbend; divert.

Part of speech: verb (v.)

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.

Part of speech: adjective (a.)

Relaxed; lax; hence, remiss; careless.