Dictionary
Find
in
Dictionary
Thesaurus
Translations

Click to move up the list of words
relationship
relative
relative atomic mass
relative clause
relative density
relative humidity
relative income hypothesis
relative molecular mass
relative performance compensation
relative permeability
relative permittivity
relative pitch
relative pronoun
relative strength
relative wind
relatively
relativise
Click to move down the list of words
Also available:

World English Dictionary
Dictionnaire Français

relax

re·lax [ ri láks ] (past and past participle re·laxed, present participle re·lax·ing, 3rd person present singular re·lax·es)


verb 
Definition:
 
1. intransitive verb spend time at ease: to spend time resting or doing things for pleasure, especially in contrast to or as a relief from the effort and stress of everyday life

2. transitive and intransitive verb make or become looser: to slacken something that is tensed or tight such as a muscle or a grip on something, or become looser, less tense, or less tight

3. transitive and intransitive verb make or become less strict: to make something such as a rule less strict or less severe, or become less strict

4. transitive and intransitive verb make or become less tense: to become less anxious, hostile, defensive, or formal, or make somebody or something so

5. transitive and intransitive verb make or become less intense: to become less intense and concentrated, or make something less intense and concentrated

6. transitive verb straighten hair: to weaken or remove the curl from hair, usually by chemical means

[14th century. < Latin relaxare "loosen" < laxus "loose"]

re·lax·a·ble adjective
re·lax·ing adjective
Advertisement

© 2009 Microsoft