Noah Webster's New International Dictionary of the English Language

1. (n.) To make lax or loose; to make less close, firm, rigid, tense, or the like; to slacken; to loosen; to open; as, to relax a rope or cord; to relax the muscles or sinews.

2. (n.) To make less severe or rigorous; to abate the stringency of; to remit in respect to strenuousness, earnestness, or effort; as, to relax discipline; to relax one's attention or endeavors.

3. (n.) Hence, to relieve from attention or effort; to ease; to recreate; to divert; as, amusement relaxes the mind.

4. (n.) To relieve from constipation; to loosen; to open; as, an aperient relaxes the bowels.

5. (v. i.) To become lax, weak, or loose; as, to let one's grasp relax.

6. (v. i.) To abate in severity; to become less rigorous.

7. (v. i.) To remit attention or effort; to become less diligent; to unbend; as, to relax in study.

8. (n.) Relaxation.

9. (a.) Relaxed; lax; hence, remiss; careless.