re|lax

re|lax «rih LAKS», transitive verb.

1. to make less stiff or firm; loosen: »

Relax your muscles to rest them.

2. to make less strict or severe; lessen in force: »

Discipline was relaxed on the last day of school. Gloria…slowly relaxes her threatening attitude (George Bernard Shaw).

3. to relieve from work or effort; give recreation or amusement: »

Relax your mind.

4. to weaken; slacken; lessen in force or intensity: »

to relax precautions against attack. Don't relax your efforts because the examinations are over.

–v.i.

1. to become less tense or firm; loosen up: »

Relax when you dance. Her compressed lips relaxed as she became less angry.

2. to become less strict or severe; grow milder: »

Alick…never relaxed into the frivolity of unnecessary speech (George Eliot).

3. to be relieved from work or effort; take recreation or amusement; reduce strain and worry; be lazy and carefree: »

Take a vacation and relax. They come for rest, for fun, for the pure luxury of relaxing in Nassau sunshine (New Yorker).

4. to lessen in force or intensity; diminish: »

The waves relaxed in their force until they did little more than play upon the side of the wreck (Frederick Marryat).

╂[< Latin relaxāre < re- back + laxāre to undo < laxus loose. See etym. of doublet release. (Cf. ↑release)]

–re|lax´er, noun.