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Relax

[ri-laks]

Example Sentences Origin

verb (used with object)

to make less tense, rigid, or firm; make lax: to relax the muscles.

to diminish the force of.

to slacken or abate, as effort, attention, etc.

to make less strict or severe, as rules, discipline, etc.: to relax the requirements for a license.

to release or bring relief from the effects of tension, anxiety, etc.: A short swim always relaxes me.

verb (used without object)

to become less tense, rigid, or firm.

to become less strict or severe; grow milder.

to reduce or stop work, effort, application, etc., especially for the sake of rest or recreation.

to release oneself from inhibition, worry, tension, etc.

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Relax is one of our favorite verbs.

So is lollygag. Does it mean:

chat, to converse

to spend time idly; loaf.

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Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English relaxen < Latin relaxāre to stretch out again, loosen, equivalent to re- re- + laxāre to loosen, derivative of laxus slack, lax

Related forms

re·lax·a·tive, re·lax·a·tory

[ri-lak-suh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee] , adjective

re·lax·er, noun

o·ver·re·lax, verb

un·re·lax·ing, adjective

Synonyms
1, 6. loosen, slacken. 2. mitigate, weaken, lessen, reduce. 4. ease. 6. unbend. 7. relent, soften.

Antonyms
1, 6. tighten, tense.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source

Link To Relax

Example Sentences

By tapping the heel in relax mode, wearer flexes ankle forward so the foot can be pulled back.

When final examinations get you down, what better way to relax than a good, hearty game of.

The commission proposes to relax planning constraints on big new stores.

EXPAND

By tapping the heel in relax mode, wearer flexes ankle forward so the foot can be pulled back.

When final examinations get you down, what better way to relax than a good, hearty game of.

The commission proposes to relax planning constraints on big new stores.

They give us a way to celebrate, explore, and relax.

It is often prescribed to relax cerebral blood vessels after a stroke.

With summer on the horizon, many people are making plans to go on vacation, relax a little and see some new sights.

Relax under purple mountain majesties, where quite literally the buffalo roam and the deer and the antelope still play.

Just let yourself breathe and feel your muscles relax.

If you can choose a time to schedule it, choose something where you have a good hour before it to relax.

Every now and then it has suited the country's leaders to relax their steely.

If you were a male seahorse, you'd certainly have had reason to kick back and relax on father's day.

The mice developed hypertension and did not respond well to compounds that relax vessels.

He or she is transported to a soothing virtual world, one filled with images that relax them.

Every garden should offer a secluded place to relax.

People have long used soothing music or calming sounds to reduce brain activity and help them relax.

These drugs relax smooth muscles, especially in the bladder neck.

Taking a quick break can help you to relax and gather your thoughts.

Before long, every woman has to try harder, and every man can relax a little.

And once you're there you'll have plenty of time to relax and explore.

Families become suspects as rules on dna matches relax.

To the town, they gave notice that the day had come to a close and the time to relax and enjoy home and family had begun.

Late summer is the perfect time to pack a picnic with bounty from nearby farms and relax at the water's edge.

Another way to help relax your eyes muscles is put a warm washcloth over them for a few minutes.

When you work at a car dealership, you spend a lot of time standing around, but that does not mean you relax.

And then sit back and relax while the royalties roll in.

But they cannot afford yet to relax with a cool one.

It's hard to relax or appreciate my surroundings when someone is having a one- sided conversation.

Breastfeeding releases oxytocin and prolactin, hormones that relax the mother and make her feel more nurturing toward her baby.

Even a single chair set among richly textured plants can make a wonderful place to relax and enjoy the summer garden.

Finally: a way to relax and drink a beer without worrying about spilling it everywhere.

IF you have ever felt foolish because you don't know one wine from another, relax.

It's time for you to relax and let the committee do its work.

If that is the peak of anti-monarchical feeling, as it may well be, then monarchists can relax.

Sit back and relax or ask to take a turn at the helm once you have your sea legs.

The meditation while praying helps the brain to relax.

Now there's room to relax on a daybed with a book, draw on a chalkboard, or play at a kidsize table.

All that's left for a viewer to do is to pick a task and relax.

My guess is if you study hard and do lots of practice tests, and are able to relax on the day, you'll get the score you want.

But mostly she is under pressure to relax state-aid rules.

Others simply relax in the sun-washed glacial cirque and bask in the presence of the peak.

When the electrons relax back to their ground state, the extra energy is released as light via a photochemical reaction.

Soak in the peaceful splendor that invites you to relax under expansive granite views.

After an appropriate number of z's, he'd relax enough to drop the balls, waking himself up.

Now that the car is no longer in perfect mint condition, you can relax.

She had a talent as a painter and a potter, pursuits she said helped her to relax.

Relax on the inviting porch or enjoy root beer floats and other treats at the old-fashioned soda fountain.

Pending legislation would relax some of these federal restrictions.

Relax into the sway of a colorful swing for your porch, balcony or garden.

So there's a fair chance that kitty might relax her usual haughty rules and deign to play with this cat toy.

Remember to prop your feet and have a travel pillow handy to allow your body to relax while at work.

Within days many universities began to relax the rules.

We had walked all over the city and slowed down to relax and take it all in as we.

In my experience, taking time can often be helpful, as a deep breath can allow the mind and especially the body to relax.

The cabin is both a launchpad for surfing and a place to relax in the rugged landscape.

Even sleepers flop around periodically, to get blood flowing, to relax pinched nerves.

Relax for a minute or two, letting the darkness and warmth refresh your eyes.

Another option is to relax restrictions on residents and firms wanting to buy foreign currency.

Perhaps the best advice is for fans to simply relax a bit-easier said than done for some.

Plus, as someone else said, it would only be an excuse to relax on the anti-pollution measures.

Relax with a picnic and watch the surf beat against the shore's rocks.

Instead of getting flustered and angry, they could stare out the window and relax.

Reading all of your posts really did help me relax and think about this whole process differently.

And his government wants to relax holding-company laws that would make it easier for the conglomerates to own financial firms.

Head back to the visitor center for a snack or a beverage and relax beside the fountain.

People who sing or play wind instruments often improve when they learn to relax their throats and control their breath better.

After six days on the road, it feels heavenly to relax by the lake, and to drink wine with dinner in a.

The holistic design strategy regards the interior of an aircraft as a space in which to relax and spend personal time freely.

Hmmm, has it ever occurred to anyone that it is actually a good idea for a student to go relax every now and then.

Better still would be an effort to reform the tax system and relax labour laws that still hold back the.

After your mind-nourishing visit, relax in the museum's botanical garden.

As you search for the best of all possible worlds, try to relax.

Calming, orderly, serviceable entries allow you to unwind and relax.

But with a little persuasion, and remembering to relax my vision, things came into focus.

Extra time to relax together if it comes to that can only be beneficial for everyone.

The bank's bosses and investigators can relax a bit.

Relax on a luxury cruise ship or climb aboard an old paddle-wheel steamboat for a more historic experience.

The researchers conjecture that the melatonin might be why red wine helps people relax.

Best of all, these are places in which you can utterly relax without feeling compelled to pull weeds or prune branches.

Turn on your mind, relax and float upstream into the superheroic pantheon.

But that doesn't mean the industry can afford to relax.

Sit back relax and let evolutionary processes do what they must.

The heat caused her muscles to relax and she expelled the eggs intact.

But the commissioners will not be able to create new offences or relax basic rules of conduct for officers.

The rest of us can relax at home without being bothered by electrical devices.

But a lesson that being the leader is never guaranteed and you cant relax.

COLLAPSE

Collins

World English Dictionary

relax (rɪˈlæks)

—vb
1.	to make (muscles, a grip, etc) less tense or rigid or (of muscles, a grip, etc) to become looser or less rigid
2.	(intr) to take rest or recreation, as from work or effort: on Sundays, she just relaxes; she relaxes by playing golf
3.	to lessen the force of (effort, concentration, etc) or (of effort) to become diminished
4.	to make (rules or discipline) less rigid or strict or (of rules, etc) to diminish in severity
5.	(intr) (of a person) to become less formal; unbend

[C15: from Latin relaxāre to loosen, from re- + laxāre to loosen, from laxus loose, lax]

re'laxable

—*adj*

re'laxed

—*adj*

relaxedly

—*adv*

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source

Etymonline

Word Origin & History

relax

c.1420, "to make (something) less compact or dense," from O.Fr. relaxer (14c.), from L. relaxare "relax, loosen, open," from re- "back" + laxare "loosen," from laxus "loose" (see lax). Of persons, attested from 1837, "to become less formal;" meaning "to become less tense" is

EXPAND

recorded from 1935. Relaxation "relief from work" first recorded 1548.

COLLAPSE

American Heritage

Medical Dictionary

relax re·lax (rĭ-lāks')
v. re·laxed, re·lax·ing, re·lax·es

To make or become lax or loose.
To relieve or become relieved from tension or strain.

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