loosen
/ˈluːs(ə)n
/verb [with object]
1Make (something tied, fastened, or fixed in place) less tight or firm: loosen your collar and tie...
- The girl to our right, in complementary pinks and peach colors, lifts her face as she loosens the tight black collar around her neck.
- She shook her head in acknowledgment, and went to Glory, loosening the tied reins.
- His fingers threaded through her tight chignon and loosened it.
Synonyms
make slack, slacken, slack, unstick;
unfasten, detach, release, disconnect, undo, unclasp, unlatch, unbolt
unfasten, undo, release, unhook, slacken, let out
1.1Relax (one’s grip or muscles): he loosened his hold so she could pull her arms free...
- Having a stretch loosens your muscles and relaxes your body.
- Emma immediately relaxed and loosened her grip on my leg.
- Bandit loosened his grip, relaxing his arms until his hold on her turned into a real embrace.
Synonyms
become slack, slacken, become loose, let go, unbind, ease;
work loose, work free
weaken, relax, slacken, loose, lessen, reduce, moderate, diminish, soften, alleviate, dilute
1.2 [no object] Become relaxed or less tight: the stiffness in his shoulders had loosened...
- At the end of the holiday, I was starting to feel the knots in my shoulders loosen and my mind start to clear after all the drama and stress of the past few months.
- Her head rested on his shoulder and her body loosened.
- Amy's shoulders loosened and Hart gently trod back to sit quietly by her side.
1.3(With reference to the bowels) make or become relaxed prior to excretion: [no object]: his bowels loosened in terror...
- Prescribe tablets that will loosen their bowel locks.
- High doses of vitamin C may loosen the bowels, though this effect invariably abates once the dose is suitably reduced.
- ‘Er, hi Corina’, I greeted her meekly, my bowels loosening slightly.
2Make less strict: his main mistake was to loosen monetary policy...
- In this respect, Britain is better placed than most, since base rates of 4.75% give the Bank of England ample leeway to loosen monetary policy.
- There is currently no need for any further rate increases, but the Bank must resist the temptation to loosen monetary policy any further until it becomes clear that inflation has been tamed again.
- It is clear that the present Governor loosened monetary policy earlier than his predecessor would have done.
2.1Make (a connection) less strong: he wanted to strengthen rather than loosen union links...
- Partisan politicization loosens the connection of the military to the American people.
- Interest groups are reluctant to associate closely or openly with political parties, and the Labour party's connections with the trade unions have been loosened.
- She wants to reform the stagnant economy, loosen union power and bring down taxes in a power-sharing Cabinet with the business-friendly FDP party.
Phrases
loosen someone's tongue
Phrasal verbs
loosen up