relaxedadj.
/rᵻˈlakst/, U.S. /rəˈlækst/, /riˈlækst/ 1. Medicine and Physiology.
a. Originally (of part or all of the body): †rendered soft, slack, or feeble; (also) †paralysed (obsolete). In later use, of muscle: in a state of relaxation (relaxation n. 1).
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > relative position > posture > action of placing or holding body in relaxed posture > [adjective] > specific part of body
relaxed?a1425
lank1637
slack1667
the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > diseases of tissue > [adjective] > alteration of tissue > loosened or slackened
relaxed?a1425
?a1425 tr. Guy de Chauliac Grande Chirurgie (N.Y. Acad. Med.) f. 141 G. forsoþ..telleþ þe best medicyne of Asclepiadis to kynoydas relaxed [?c1425 Paris þe loosede vuefalles; L. chynoydas relaxatas].
1565 J. Hall Expositiue Table 75 in tr. Lanfranc Most Excellent Woorke Chirurg. They both doe purge putrefied phlegme from the stomache, and strengthen the same, The brayne also, the harte, the lyuer, the synewes, and relaxed partes.
1646 Sir T. Browne Pseudodoxia Epidemica 127 This part in Deere..sometimes becomes so relaxed and pendulous, it cannot be quite retracted. View more context for this quotation
1686 C. Peter Observ. Venereal Dis. viii. 65 The Prostate Glandules being either eaten away, or too much relaxed, and so weakned by the continual Ulceration.
1733 G. Cheyne Eng. Malady i. xi. 99 Those who have weak, loose, and feeble or relax'd Nerves.
1799 Med. & Physical Jrnl. 2 284 When the body is warm and relaxed, as during sleep, or after fatigue.
1843 E. Bulwer-Lytton Last of Barons I. i. iv. 67 His hands were small and delicate, with large blue veins, that spoke of relaxed fibres.
1865 C. Dickens Let. 6 Nov. (1938) III. 442 I have been unwell with a relaxed throat.
1952 Lancet 26 July 189/1 The procedure might fail..if the abdominal wall was too relaxed.
1996 S. L. Lehman et al. in S. A. Berger et al. Introd. Bioengin. x. 407/1 If a relaxed muscle is held a fixed length, then tetanized, it produces a maximum force that depends on the length of its fibers.
b. Of stools: loose, soft; diarrhoeal. Of the bowels: in a state in which loose or diarrhoeal stools are produced. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > disorders of internal organs > excretory disorders > [adjective] > diarrhoea
diarrhoeal1651
diarrhoetic1656
cacatory1684
relaxed1772
diarrhoeic1876
1729 J. Clutton Short & Certain Method Curing Continu'd Fevers IV. i. 23 But if the flux is bloody, or the bowels exceedingly relaxed, let the confection be the thicker.]
1772 L. Carter Diary 28 Mar. (1965) II. 662 He had a sore throat and a relaxed stoole these 5 days.
1827 Med. Intelligencer 4 207/1 Limewater is useful in cases of relaxed bowels and acid stomachs.
1882 Lancet 30 Sept. 528/1 From that time she..had alternate periods of relaxed bowels and constipation.
1934 M. T. King Mothercraft vii. 76 If baby shows signs of overfeeding, such as..frequent relaxed motions, indigestion and wind, cut down the amount of artificial food at once.
2.
a. Of a person: free from restraint or restriction; not strict or precise, esp. in observing a religious rule.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > lack of subjection > freedom or liberty > freedom of action or from restraint > [adjective] > in action, conduct, or habit
freec1300
unbridledc1374
riotous?1456
liberala1500
unrestrained1531
libertine1593
relaxed1623
long-waisted1647
self-abandoning1817
laissez-aller1818
self-abandoned1833
uninhibited1880
un-Victorian1908
leggo1943
zizzy1966
loose1968
society > faith > worship > observance, ritual > rule, rubric > [adjective] > observing slavishly > not
relaxed1623
inceremonious1651
anticeremonial1655
1623 H. Cockeram Eng. Dict. Released,..relaxed.
a1657 G. Daniel Ecloges in Poems (1878) II. 200 The Florentine prescribes to duller fooles; But Stronger flow from all relaxéd Soules.
1669 A. Woodhead tr. Life St. Teresa (1671) ii. xxxii. 200 He had been Visitor of the Relaxed Fathers of the Province of Castile.
1768 A. Boyer Royal Dict. (rev. ed.) at Grain Catholique à gros grain, a relaxed Catholick.
1797 Encycl. Brit. II. 686/1 Augustinians are..divided into rigid and relaxed.
1818 W. Hazlitt Lect. Eng. Poets iii. 110 Shakspeare..is relaxed and careless in critical places.
1855 E. B. Pusey Doctr. Real Presence Note S 704 That ye..may neither yourselves be relaxed, regardless of the fear of God.
1894 J. C. Hedley Retreat xviii. 207 No one can be relaxed, unmortified, and lazy, and at the same time desire to love God with..a whole heart.
1921 Catholic World Sept. 800 There he wrote his famous book—at once a protest against the policy of the relaxed friars and a clarion-call to his own party.
1961 T. Merton Seeds of Destr. (1980) ii. 215 Zossima is..a relaxed monk..playing ducks and drakes with the old ascetic traditions.
2003 L. E. Goodman Islamic Humanism i. 40 He avidly studied hadīth and lived the life of a Sufi—ascetic but rather relaxed in his religious observance.
b. Of a rule, law, or similar restriction: diminished in strictness or rigour; made more lenient, lax.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > lack of strictness > [adjective] > made less strict or severe
relaxed1669
loosened1755
unbraced1791
1669 A. Woodhead tr. Life St. Teresa (1671) ii. xxx. 183 A Monastery of our Lady of Carmel of the Rule relaxed.
1776 G. Washington Let. 25 Sept. in Papers (1994) Revolutionary War Ser. VI. 397 Relaxed, and as unfit as our Rules & Regulations of War are for the Government of an Army, the Militia..do not think themselves subject to 'em.
1796 J. Morse Amer. Universal Geogr. (new ed.) I. 87 The women wear no more covering than the most relaxed modesty seems absolutely to require.
1846 R. Carlton Something for Every Body xliii. 166 While they prate about expediency and policy, which require the relaxed law, these fellows are inwardly delighted that eternal law cannot prevail.
1881 J. A. Froude Short Stud. IV. ii. i. 168 When the law has become relaxed, public opinion takes its place.
1933 Harvard Law Rev. 46 392 The more relaxed rule..leaving more scope for industrial liberty and power..was made the test for its decision by the court.
1969 E. B. Leacock Teaching & Learning in City Schools vi. 157 Relaxed standards are related to lack of respect for the children.
2007 N. Klein Shock Doctr. xx. 412 Contractors created an economic boom based on easy taxpayer money and relaxed regulations.
3. Leisurely, at ease; free from tension, anxiety, or stress.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > calmness > [adjective]
eveneOE
still1340
unperturbeda1450
unmovedc1480
quietful1494
lowna1500
calma1568
calmya1586
unpassionatea1586
smartless1593
reposeful1594
dispassionate1595
recollected1595
unaffectedc1595
unpassioned?1605
unpassionated1611
collecteda1616
tranquila1616
untouched1616
impassionate1621
composed1628
dispassioneda1631
tranquillous1638
slow1639
serene1640
dispassionated1647
imperturbed1652
unruffled1654
reposing1655
equanimous1656
perplacid1660
placate1662
equal1680
collect1682
cooled1682
posed1693
sedate1693
impassive1699
uninflamed1714
unexcited1735
unalarmed1756
unfanned1764
unagitated1772
undistraught1773
recollected1792
equable1796
unfussy1823
take-it-easy1825
unflurried1854
cool1855
comfortable1856
disimpassioned1860
tremorless1869
unpressured1879
unrippled1883
ice-cool1891
unrattled1891
Zen-likea1908
unrestless1919
steadyish1924
ataractic1941
relaxed1958
nonplussed1960
loose1968
Zenned-out1968
downtempo1972
mellowed1977
de-stressed1999
1773 T. Leland Hist. Ireland II. iii. viii. 192 The more peaceable..rested indolently upon the antiquity..of the former establishments, and in this relaxed state of mind, were stricken with great terrour, at the denunciations of divine vengeance.
1806 Lady Morgan Wild Irish Girl I. xxix The present relaxed state of my intellectual system requires some strong transition of place, circumstance, and manners, to wind it up to its native tone, to rouse it to energy, or to awaken it to exertion.
1885 H. James Author of Beltraffio ii. 125 He looked eminent, but he looked relaxed, and the lady beside him was making him laugh.
1908 C. Marriott Spanish Holiday vii. 123 Everybody except the student was very relaxed and informal, as if in a seaside holiday humour.
1958 Listener 19 June 1032/2 All the speakers sounded relaxed and informal.
1972 M. Woodhouse Mama Doll ix. 121 He'll be fine, Bottle. Very relaxed character.
2003 Scotl. Mag. Jan. 50/2 At a more relaxed pace, observe the abundant wildlife..visit ancient relics and sample the world-famous Scotch whisky.
4. Lacking physical tension, stress, or density; slack, loose; (chiefly Physics) in a state of equilibrium.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > [adjective] > become or made less violent or severe
temperate1398
alleviate1531
mitigated1546
mollified1581
swageda1603
well-tempered1602
castigate1642
tempered1654
slackened1725
castigated1728
temperated1737
subsided1753
moderated1773
chastised1790
softened1794
mildeneda1802
modulateda1806
relaxed1825
chastened1844
the world > matter > constitution of matter > softness > types of softness > [adjective] > slack or not tense
slakec1374
slackc1386
remiss?a1425
loosec1460
relax1605
lax1660
stray1791
relaxed1825
unstraitened1859
unstrained1882
tensionless1905
1825 ‘J. Nicholson’ Operative Mechanic 500 The relaxed spring..above lying in a spiral form.
1856 E. K. Kane Arctic Explor. I. vi. 57 There must be either great areas of relaxed ice or open water-leads along the shore.
1910 Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts & Sci. 46 188 If the piece be repeatedly hardened and annealed, its resistivity in the relaxed state increases every time the cycle is passed through.
1982 T. M. Devlin Textbk. Biochem. iii. 103 The oxyhemoglobin conformational form is referred to as the ‘relaxed’ or R conformational state.
1992 S. P. Maran Astron. & Astrophysics Encycl. 635/2 The electric currents that maintain the stressed magnetic field are rapidly dissipated and the magnetic field geometry simplifies to a more relaxed form.
1994 Sci. Amer. Mar. 44/3 Four of every 100 germanium atoms grown along a silicon-germanium juncture must work their way out of the lattice in order to bring the structure to a fully relaxed state.
5. Hairdressing (originally U.S.). Designating naturally tightly curled hair that has been chemically straightened; characteristic of hair straightened in this way. Cf. relax v. 1e.
ΚΠ
1962 Ebony Jan. 105/1 Dramatic styling for mid-length hair..is based on smoothly relaxed tresses.
1986 Blactress July 50/2 When retouching previously relaxed hair, you need only use half of the product.
1989 Essence Apr. 54 (advt.) That silky ‘relaxed’ look, with body and natural shine.
1996 Independent on Sunday 7 Apr. (Real Lives section) 6/8 I recently opted for waist-length extensions because daily tonging of my relaxed hair was taking 45 minutes.
Derivatives
reˈlaxedly adv.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > calmness > [adverb]
evenlyOE
egallyc1374
soberly1382
sadly?a1400
wellc1405
digestlya1522
calmly1597
placidly1635
sedately1646
equanimously1652
recollectedly1654
serenely1690
composedly1702
dispassionately1717
serene1728
unperturbedly?1786
solidly1799
tranquilly1801
relaxedly1819
collectedly1838
comfortably1872
equably1873
unagitatedly1894
the mind > emotion > pleasure > freedom from trouble, care, or sorrow > [adverb]
securely1550
carelessly1561
unanxiously1762
relaxedly1819
tearlessly1853
cloudlessly1869
the world > space > relative position > posture > action of placing or holding body in relaxed posture > [adverb]
loungingly1799
relaxedly1819
lollingly1832
1819 P. B. Shelley Rosalind & Helen 60 His mien Sunk with the sound relaxedly.
1855 E. B. Pusey Doctr. Real Presence Note S 704 That ye..may neither..look about hither and thither, nor roll about, relaxedly and vulgarly.
1977 Times 22 Sept. 8/1 Edward Heath..didn't have anything so relaxedly Edwardian as a confidant.
2004 J. S. Piven Madness & Perversion of Yukio Mishima v. 142 Very seldom can people expose their emotions relaxedly.
reˈlaxedness n.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > calmness > [noun]
resteOE
peacea1225
egalityc1374
tranquillityc1374
peaceabilityc1384
sobernessc1384
tranquille1412
quietness?a1425
evenheadc1440
equalitya1475
equability1531
sobermood1556
calmness1561
evenness1561
serenity1599
collection1602
equilibrium1608
calm1609
temperateness1609
composedness1611
recollection1611
temper1611
unpassionateness1611
placidity1619
sereneness1628
attemperature1635
quietationa1639
equableness1641
steadiness1642
sedateness1647
imperturbation1648
placidness1654
centredness1662
equanimity1663
composure1667
serenitude1672
equalness1675
unperturbedness1676
dispassion1690
quietism1735
serene1744
relaxednessa1750
self-composure1762
sober-mindedness1767
collectedness1789
unprovokedness1795
comfortableness1815
repose1815
levelness1824
dispassionateness1842
unruffledness1858
passionlessness1867
a1750 W. Gibson New Treat. Dis. Horses (1751) iii. xii. 406 When an abcess is once formed, the swelling and relaxedness of the parts contiguous to it..causes an early separation of the Membranes.
1860 E. B. Pusey Minor Prophets 3 An extreme relaxedness, on the borders of further sin.
1957 Observer 20 Oct. 16/3 Patrick O'Donovan, in Monday's Panorama, compèred with artful relaxedness, and no gush, a film of Washington.
2002 N. Bannan in G. Spruce Aspects of teaching Secondary Music ix. 110 These exercises..can be used at any time to help retain relaxedness and keep fatigue at bay.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2009; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.?a1425