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

Verb

1. to make or become less tight: loosen and relax the ankle

2. (often foll. by up)to make or become less firm, compact, or rigid: massage is used first to loosen up the muscles

3. to untie

4. (often foll. by up)to make or become less strict: the churches loosen up on sexual teachings

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 untie, undo, release, separate, detach, let out, unstick, slacken, unbind, work free, work loose, unloose

loosen up relax, chill (slang) soften, unwind, go easy (informal) lighten up (slang) hang loose, outspan S. African ease up or off

Translations

loosen [ˈluːsn] vt (= free) → soltar (= untie); desatar (= slacken); aflojar

loosen up vi (before game) → hacer (ejercicios de) precalentamiento;

(col) (= relax); soltarse, relajarse

loosen [ˈluːsn] loose vt → desserrer, relâcher, défaire

loosen up vi (before game) → s'échauffer;

(inf) (= relax); se détendre, se laisser aller

loosen [ˈluːsn] loose vt → lösen, losmachen [+ clothing, belt etc]; lockern

loosen [ˈluːsn] vt → sciogliere

loosen up vi (before game) → sciogliere i muscoli, scaldarsi;

(col) (= relax); rilassarsi