relax

• POS: Verb (usu participle), Verb (intransitive)
• HYPHEN: re=lax
• COUNT in NET: 7 in 7 verses (in OT : 6 in 6 verses) (in NT : 1 in 1 verses)

CIDE DICTIONARY

relax, v. t. [L. relaxare; pref. re- re- + laxare to loose, to slacken, from laxus loose. See Lax, and cf. Relay, n., Release.].

•  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.  [1913 Webster]

  "Horror . . . all his joints relaxed."  [1913 Webster]

  "Nor served it to relax their serried files."  [1913 Webster]
•  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.  [1913 Webster]

  "The statute of mortmain was at several times relaxed by the legislature."  [1913 Webster]
•  Hence, to relieve from attention or effort; to ease; to recreate; to divert; as, amusement relaxes the mind.  [1913 Webster]
•  To relieve from constipation; to loosen; to open; as, an aperient relaxes the bowels.  [1913 Webster]

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

relax, v. i. 

•  To become lax, weak, or loose; as, to let one's grasp relax.  [1913 Webster]

  "His knees relax with toil."  [1913 Webster]
•  To abate in severity; to become less rigorous.  [1913 Webster]

  "In others she relaxed again,
  And governed with a looser rein."  [1913 Webster]
•  To remit attention or effort; to become less diligent; to unbend; as, to relax in study.  [1913 Webster]

relax, n. 

 Relaxation.  Feltham.  [1913 Webster]

relax, a. 

 Relaxed; lax; hence, remiss; careless.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

relax, 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.

Derivative

relaxedly adv. relaxedness n. relaxer n.

Etymology

ME f. L relaxare (as RE-, LAX)

THESAURUS

relax

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

ROGET THESAURUS

relax

Incoherence

VB make loose, loosen, slacken, relax, unglue, detach.

Inactivity

VB be inactive, do nothing, move slowly, let the grass grow under one's feet, take one's time, dawdle, drawl, droil, lag, hang back, slouch, loll, lollop, lounge, poke, loaf, loiter, go to sleep over, sleep at one's post, ne battre que d'une aile, take it easy, take things as they come, lead an easy life, vegetate, swim with the stream, eat the bread of idleness, loll in the lap of luxury, loll in the lap of indolence, waste time, consume time, kill time, lose time, burn daylight, waste the precious hours, idle away time, trifle away time, fritter away time, fool away time, spend time in, take time in, peddle, piddle, potter, pudder, dabble, faddle fribble, fiddle-faddle, dally, dilly-dally, sleep, slumber, be asleep, hibernate, oversleep, sleep like a top, sleep like a log, sleep like a dormouse, sleep soundly, heavily, doze, drowze, snooze, nap, take a nap, dream, snore one's best, settle to sleep, go to sleep, go off to sleep, doze off, drop off, fall asleep, drop asleep, close the eyes, seal up the eyes, seal up eyelids, weigh down the eyelids, get sleep, nod, yawn, go to bed, turn, get some z's, stack z's, languish, expend itself, flag, hang fire, relax, render idle, sluggardize, mitigate.

Repose

VB repose, rest, rest and be thankful, take a rest, take one's ease, take it easy, relax, unbend, slacken, take breath, rest upon one's oars, pause, stay one's hand, lie down, recline, recline on a bed of down, recline on an easy chair, go to rest, go to bed, go to sleep, take a holiday, shut up shop, lie fallow.

Laxity

VB be lax, laisser faire, laisser aller, hold a loose rein, give the reins to, give rope enough, give a loose to, tolerate, relax, misrule, go beyond the length of one's tether, have one's swing, have one's fling, act without instructions, act without authority, act outside of one's authority, act on one's own responsibility, usurp authority, dethrone, depose, abdicate.

Liberation

VB liberate, free, set free, set clear, set at liberty, render free, emancipate, release, enfranchise, affranchise, manumit, enlarge, disband, discharge, disenthrall, disenthral, dismiss, let go, let loose, loose, let out, let slip, cast adrift, turn adrift, deliver, absolve, unfetter &c, untie, loose, loosen, relax, unbolt, unbar, unclose, uncork, unclog, unhand, unbind, unchain, unharness, unleash, disengage, disentangle, clear, extricate, unloose, gain one's liberty, obtain one's liberty, acquire one's liberty, get rid of, get clear of, deliver oneself from, shake off the yoke, slip the collar, break loose, break prison, tear asunder one's bonds, cast off trammels, escape.

Weakness

VB be weak, drop, crumble, give way, totter, tremble, shake, halt, limp, fade, languish, decline, flag, fail, have one leg in the grave, render weak, weaken, enfeeble, debilitate, shake, deprive of strength, relax, enervate, eviscerate, unbrace, unnerve, cripple, unman, cramp, reduce, sprain, strain, blunt the edge of, dilute, impoverish, decimate, extenuate, reduce in strength, reduce the strength of, mettre de l'eau dans son vin.

Pity

VB pity, have pity, show pity, take pity, commiserate, compassionate, condole, sympathize, feel for, be sorry for, yearn for, weep, melt, thaw, enter into the feelings of, forbear, relent, relax, give quarter, wipe the tears, parcere subjectis, give a coup de gr=ace, put out of one's misery, raise pity, excite pity, touch, soften, melt, melt the heart, propitiate, disarm, ask for mercy, supplicate, cry for quarter, beg one's life, kneel, deprecate.

Undueness

VB be undue, not be due, infringe, encroach, trench on, exact, arrogate, arrogate to oneself, give an inch and take an ell, stretch a point, strain a point, usurp, violate, do violence to, disfranchise, disentitle, disqualify, invalidate, relax, misbehave, misbecome.

Slowness

VB move slowly, creep, crawl, lag, slug, drawl, linger, loiter, saunter, plod, trudge, stump along, lumber, trail, drag, dawdle, grovel, worm one's way, steal along, job on, rub on, bundle on, toddle, waddle, wabble, slug, traipse, slouch, shuffle, halt, hobble, limp, caludicate, shamble, flag, falter, trotter, stagger, mince, step short, march in slow time, march in funeral procession, take one's time, hang fire, retard, relax, slacken, check, moderate, rein in, curb, reef, strike sail, shorten sail, take in sail, put on the drag, apply the brake, clip the wings, reduce the speed, slacken speed, slacken one's pace, lose ground.

Softness

VB render soft, soften, mollify, mellow, relax, temper, mash, knead, squash, bend, yield, relent, relax, give, plasticize', render soft, soften, mollify, mellow, relax, temper, mash, knead, squash, bend, yield, relent, relax, give, plasticize'.