English - Etymology
From Old French relaxer, from Latin relaxāre (“relax, loosen, open”), from re- (“back”) + laxāre (“loosen”), from laxus (“loose, free”).
English - Verb
relax (third-person singular simple present relaxes, present participle relaxing, simple past and past participle relaxed)
- (transitive) To calm down.
- (transitive) To make something loose.
- (intransitive) To become loose.
- (transitive) To make something less severe or tense.
- (intransitive) To become less severe or tense.
- (transitive) To make something (such as codes and regulations) more lenient.
- (intransitive, of codes and regulations) To become more lenient.
- (transitive) To relieve (something) from stress.
- (transitive, dated) To relieve from constipation; to loosen; to open.