Adjacent Words

Relax definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

RELAX', v.t. [L. relaxo; re and laxo, to slacken.]
1. To slacken; to make less tense or rigid; as, to relax a rope or cord; to relax the muscles or sinews; to relax the reins in riding.
2. To loosen; to make less close or firm; as, to relax the joints.
3. To make less severe or rigorous; to remit or abate in strictness; as, to relax a law or rule of justice; to relax a demand.
4. To remit or abate in attention, assiduity or labor; as, to relax study; to relax exertions or efforts.
5. To unbend; to ease; to relieve from close attention; as, conversation relaxes the student or the mind.
6. To relieve from constipation; to loosen; to open; as, medicines relax the bowels.
7. To open; to loose.
8. To make languid.
RELAX', v.i.
1. To abate in severity; to become more mild or less rigorous.
In others she relax'd again, and govern'd with a looser rein.
2. To remit in close attention. It is useful for the student to relax often, and give himself to exercise and amusements.
RELAX', n. Relaxation. [Not used.]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

v
1: 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" [syn: relax, loosen up, unbend, unwind, decompress, slow down] [ant: tense, tense up]
2: make less taut; "relax the tension on the rope" [syn: relax, unbend]
3: become loose or looser or less tight; "The noose loosened"; "the rope relaxed" [syn: loosen, relax, loose] [ant: stiffen]
4: cause to feel relaxed; "A hot bath always relaxes me" [syn: relax, unstrain, unlax, loosen up, unwind, make relaxed] [ant: strain, tense, tense up]
5: 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" [syn: relax, loosen up]
6: make less severe or strict; "The government relaxed the curfew after most of the rebels were caught" [syn: relax, loosen]
7: become less severe or strict; "The rules relaxed after the new director arrived" [syn: relax, loosen]
8: make less active or fast; "He slackened his pace as he got tired"; "Don't relax your efforts now" [syn: slack, slacken, slack up, relax]

Merriam Webster's

verb Etymology: Middle English, from Latin relaxare, from re- + laxare to loosen, from laxus loose — more at slack Date: 15th century transitive verb 1. to make less tense or rigid ; slacken <relaxed his grip> 2. to make less severe or stringent ; modify <relax immigration laws> 3. to deprive of energy, zeal, or strength of purpose 4. to relieve from nervous tension 5. to treat (hair) chemically in order to relax curls intransitive verb 1. to become lax, weak, or loose ; rest 2. to become less intense or severe <hoped the committee would relax in its opposition> 3. of a muscle or muscle fiber to become inactive and lengthen 4. to cast off social restraint, nervous tension, or anxiety <couldn't relax in crowds> 5. to seek rest or recreation <relax at the seashore> 6. to relieve constipation 7. to attain equilibrium following the abrupt removal of some influence (as light, high temperature, or stress) • relaxer noun

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v. 1 tr. & intr. make or become less stiff or rigid or tense. 2 tr. & intr. make or become less formal or strict (rules were relaxed). 3 tr. reduce or abate (one's attention, efforts, etc.). 4 intr. cease work or effort. 5 tr. (as relaxed adj.) at ease; unperturbed. Derivatives: relaxedly adv. relaxedness n. relaxer n. Etymology: ME f. L relaxare (as RE-, LAX)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Relax Re*lax" (r?-l?ks"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Relaxed (-l?kst"); p. pr. & vb. n. Relaxing.] [L. relaxare; pref. re- re- + laxare to loose, to slacken, from laxus loose. See Lax, and cf. Relay, n., Release.] 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.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Relax Re*lax", n. Relaxation. [Obs.] --Feltham.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Relax Re**lax", a. Relaxed; lax; hence, remiss; careless.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Relax Re*lax", v. i. 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.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(relaxes, relaxing, relaxed) Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English. 1. If you relax or if something relaxes you, you feel more calm and less worried or tense. I ought to relax and stop worrying about it... Do something that you know relaxes you. VERB: V, V n 2. When a part of your body relaxes, or when you relax it, it becomes less stiff or firm. Massage is used to relax muscles, relieve stress and improve the circulation... His face relaxes into a contented smile. VERB: V n, V 3. If you relax your grip or hold on something, you hold it less tightly than before. He gradually relaxed his grip on the arms of the chair. ? tighten VERB: V n 4. If you relax a rule or your control over something, or if it relaxes, it becomes less firm or strong. Rules governing student conduct relaxed somewhat in recent years... How much can the President relax his grip over the nation?... ? tighten VERB: V, V n 5. see also relaxed, relaxing

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. v. a. 1. Loosen, slacken, loose. 2. Weaken, enfeeble, debilitate, enervate, unbrace, prostrate, unstring. 3. Lessen, diminish, reduce, abate, remit, mitigate. 4. Unbend, ease, divert, recreate, entertain, amuse. II. v. n. 1. Become lax, unbend. 2. Recreate, unbend, take recreation.

Moby Thesaurus

abate, admit, admit exceptions, allow, allow for, amuse, arrest, backpedal, backwater, bate, be at ease, be easy, be relaxed, beguile, beguile the time, bend, brake, calm down, check, clip the wings, collect, collect oneself, compose, compose oneself, concede, consider, consider the circumstances, consider the source, convulse, cool it, cool off, curb, cushion, decelerate, decrease, delay, delight, detain, diffuse, diminish, discount, disjoin, disperse, disregard, divert, draw rein, drown care, ease, ease off, ease up, enliven, entertain, exhilarate, feel at home, feel easy, fluff, forbear, forgive, fracture one, free, gentle, get organized, give, give quarter, give way, grant, have a ball, have fun, have mercy upon, have pity, hold back, hold in check, hold up, impede, keep back, kill, kill time, knead, knock dead, laugh it up, lax, laxate, lessen, let down, let go, let up, let up on, lift temporarily, limber, limber up, live it up, loose, loosen, loosen up, lose ground, lose momentum, lose speed, make, make allowance for, mash, massage, mellow, melt, milden, mitigate, moderate, modify, modulate, mollify, obstruct, pardon, plump, provide for, pulp, quiet down, raise a laugh, raise a smile, recreate, reduce, reef, refresh, regale, rein in, relax the condition, release, relent, relieve, remit, reprieve, rest, retard, scatter, set aside, set back, shake up, simmer down, slack, slack off, slack up, slacken, slake, slay, slow, slow down, slow up, smash, sober down, soften, soften up, solace, spare, squash, stand easy, stay, subdue, submit, supple, take account of, take in sail, take into account, take into consideration, take it easy, take pity on, temper, tenderize, thaw, throttle down, tickle, titillate, tone down, tune down, unbend, unbrace, unglue, unlax, unleash, unstick, unstrain, unstring, untighten, unwind, waive, weaken, wow, yield