relax
//ɹɪˈlæks//
informalForms
- present (v1)
- relax
- past (v2)
- relaxed
- past participle (v3)
- relaxed
- present participle
- relaxing
- 3rd person singular
- relaxes
Definitions
1.To make something loose.
- Horror […] all his joynts relax'd.
- An aperient relaxes the bowels.
2.To become loose.
3.To relieve (someone or someone's mind) of stress; to enable to rest; to calm down.
4.To rest and become relieved of stress.
- I like to relax by listening to music.
- I relax in the living room.
Frequency
Overall
Uncommon· #2487
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Uncommon
- General reading & writing
- Uncommon
- Academic
- Rare
- Literature
- Rare
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”).