relax

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   cause to feel relaxed

   A hot bath always relaxes me

2. 2
   verb

   become less tense, rest, or take one's ease

   I relaxed in the hot tub with some friends.

3. 3
   verb

   make less taut

   relax the tension on the rope

4. 4
   verb

   become less severe or strict

   The rules relaxed after the new director arrived

5. 5
   verb

   make less severe or strict

   The government relaxed the curfew after most of the rebels were caught

6. 6
   verb

   become less tense, less formal, or less restrained, and assume a friendlier manner

   Our new colleague relaxed when they saw that we were a friendly group.

7. 7
   verb

   To make something loose.

   to relax a rope or cord

8. 8
   verb

   To relieve (someone or someone's mind) of stress; to enable to rest; to calm down.

   Amusement relaxes the mind.

Etymology

From Middle English relaxen, from Old French relaxer, from Latin relaxāre (“relax, loosen, open”), from re- (“back”) + laxāre (“loosen”), from laxus (“loose, free”). By surface analysis, re- + lax (“open, free, loose”).