Relax | Webster's Dictionary (1865)

Re-lăx', v. t.

verbtransitive

v. t. [imp. & p. p. RELAXED (re-lākst'); p. pr. & vb. n. RELAXING.] [Lat. relaxare, from re, again, back, and laxare, to loose, to slacken, from laxus, loose; Fr. relaxer, relâcher, Pr. relaxar, relachar, Sp. & Pg. relaxar, It. relaxare, rilassare.] 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. 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. The statute of mortmain was at several times relaxed by the legislature. Swift.

Hence, to relieve from attention or effort; to ease; to recreate; to divert; as, conversation relaxes the mind.
To relieve from constipation; to loosen; to open; as, medicines relax the bowels.

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

Re-lāx', v. i.

verbintransitive

v. i. 1. To become loosened or feeble; to be made lax.

His knees relax with toil. Pope.

Sense 2. To abate in severity; to become more mild or less rigorous.

In others she relaxed again, And governed with a looser rein. Prior.

Sense 3. To remit in close attention or effort; to unbend; to recreate.

Re-lāx', n.

noun

n. Relaxation. [Obs.] Feltham.

Re-lāx', a.

adjective

Relaxed; lax. [Rare.]