Word Direct Answers

What does "relax" mean?

Relax: 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.

Additional senses

  1. 2.Hence, to relieve from attention or effort; to ease; to recreate; to divert; as, amusement relaxes the mind.
  2. 3.To relieve from constipation; to loosen; to open; as, an aperient relaxes the bowels.
  3. 4.To become lax, weak, or loose; as, to let one's grasp relax. His knees relax with toil. Pope.
  4. 5.To abate in severity; to become less rigorous. In others she relaxed again, And governed with a looser rein. Prior.
  5. 6.To remit attention or effort; to become less diligent; to unbend; as, to relax in study.
  6. 7.Relaxation. [Obs.] Feltham.
  7. 8.Relaxed; lax; hence, remiss; careless.

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