loosen

loos·en  (lsn)

v. loos·ened, loos·en·ing, loos·ens

v.tr.

1. To untie or make looser.

2. To free from restraint, pressure, or strictness.

3. To free (the bowels) from constipation.

v.intr.

To become loose or looser.

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[Middle English lousnen, losnen, from losen, from los, loose; see loose.]

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loosen [ˈluːs^ən]

vb

1. to make or become less tight, fixed, etc.

2. (often foll by up) to make or become less firm, compact, or rigid

3. (tr) to untie

4. (tr) to let loose; set free

5. (often foll by up) to make or become less strict, severe, etc.

6. (Medicine) (tr) to rid or relieve (the bowels) of constipation

[from loose]

loosener  n

Thesaurus

Verb	1.	loosen - make loose or looser; "loosen the tension on a rope" loose alter, change, modify - cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; "The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city"; "The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue" relax, unbend - make less taut; "relax the tension on the rope" slacken, remit - make slack as by lessening tension or firmness slack - release tension on; "slack the rope" unscrew - loosen something by unscrewing it; "unscrew the outlet plate" unscrew - loosen by turning; "unscrew the bottle cap" stiffen - make stiff or stiffer; "Stiffen the cream by adding gelatine"
	2.	loosen - make less severe or strict; "The government relaxed the curfew after most of the rebels were caught" relax alter, change, modify - cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; "The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city"; "The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue" loosen, relax - become less severe or strict; "The rules relaxed after the new director arrived"
	3.	loosen - become less severe or strict; "The rules relaxed after the new director arrived" relax change - undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature; "She changed completely as she grew older"; "The weather changed last night" loosen, relax - make less severe or strict; "The government relaxed the curfew after most of the rebels were caught"
	4.	loosen - disentangle and raise the fibers of; "tease wool" tease apart, tease unsnarl, disentangle, straighten out - extricate from entanglement; "Can you disentangle the cord?"
	5.	loosen - cause to become loose; "undo the shoelace"; "untie the knot"; "loosen the necktie" untie, undo alter, change, modify - cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; "The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city"; "The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue"
	6.	loosen - make less dense; "loosen the soil" alter, change, modify - cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; "The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city"; "The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue" scarify - break up; "scarify soil" fluff, ruffle - erect or fluff up; "the bird ruffled its feathers"
	7.	loosen - become loose or looser or less tight; "The noose loosened"; "the rope relaxed" relax, loose weaken - become weaker; "The prisoner's resistance weakened after seven days" stiffen - become stiff or stiffer; "He stiffened when he saw his boss enter the room"

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loosen

verb

1. untie, undo, release, separate, detach, let out, unstick, slacken, unbind, work free, work loose, unloose He loosened the scarf around his neck.

2. slacken, ease, work free, work loose The ties that bind them are loosening.

3. weaken, relax, lessen, release, reduce, slacken There is no sign that the Party will loosen its grip on the country.

loosen up relax, chill (slang), soften, unwind, go easy (informal), lighten up (slang), hang loose, outspan (S. African), ease up or off Relax, smile; loosen up in mind and body.

Translations

loosen [ˈluːsn]

A. VT

1. (= slacken) → aflojar; (= untie) → desatar
to loosen one's grip on sth → dejar de apretar algo con tanta fuerza

2. [+ restrictions] → aflojar, reducir

B. VI (= come unfastened) → soltarse, desatarse; (= get slack) → aflojarse

loosen up

A. VI + ADV (gen) → desentumecerse; (before game) → desentumecer los músculos, entrar en calor (= relax) → soltarse, relajarse
to loosen up on sb (fig) → tratar a algn con menos severidad

B. VT + ADV [+ muscles] → desentumecer

loosen [ˈluːs^ən] vt

[+ screw, bolt] → desserrer

[+ clothes, tie, belt] → desserrer

to loosen one's grip on sth (= hold less tightly) → relâcher sa prise sur qch
He loosened his grip on her and she wriggled free → Il relâcha son étreinte et elle se libéra en se tortillant. (= relinquish control of) → relâcher son emprise sur qch
He refused to loosen his grip on power → Il refusa de lâcher les rênes du pouvoir.

[+ restrictions, laws] → relâcher, assouplir

to loosen sb's tongue → délier la langue à qn

loosen up

vi

(before exercise) → s'échauffer

(= relax) → se détendre, se laisser aller

loosen

vt

(= free) → befreien; tongue → lösen

(= untie) → losmachen, lösen

(= slacken) → lockern; belt → lockern, weiter machen; soil → auflockern; collar → aufmachen; reins → locker lassen; to loosen one’s grip on something (lit) → seinen Griff um etw lockern; (fig) on the party, on power → etw nicht mehr so fest im Griff haben

vi → sich lockern

loosen [ˈluːsn]

1. vt (slacken, screw, belt, knot) → allentare; (rope, grip) → mollare; (clothing) → slacciare; (untie) → disfare (fig) (tongue) → sciogliere

2. vi (all senses) → allentarsi

loosen up vi + adv (before game) → sciogliere i muscoli, scaldarsi (fam) (relax) → rilassarsi

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loosen [ˈluːsn]

1. vt (slacken, screw, belt, knot) → allentare; (rope, grip) → mollare; (clothing) → slacciare; (untie) → disfare (fig) (tongue) → sciogliere

2. vi (all senses) → allentarsi

loosen up vi + adv (before game) → sciogliere i muscoli, scaldarsi (fam) (relax) → rilassarsi