relaxation
nounUK /ˌriː.lækˈseɪ.ʃən/ · US /rᵻˌlækˈseɪ.ʃən/
Etymology Borrowed from Latin relaxatio, relaxationis; equivalent to relax + -ation.
7 senses
- 1The act of relaxing or the state of being relaxed; the…
- 2A diminution of tone, tension, or firmness; specifically…
- 3Remission or abatement of rigor.
- 4Remission of attention or application.
- 5Unbending; recreation; a state or occupation intended to…
- 6The transition of a nucleus, atom or molecule from a…
- 7The release following musical tension.
The act of relaxing or the state of being relaxed; the opposite of stress or tension; the aim of recreation and leisure activities.
A diminution of tone, tension, or firmness; specifically in pathology: a looseness; a diminution of the natural and healthy tone of parts.
- relaxation of the soft palate
Remission or abatement of rigor.
Remission of attention or application.
- relaxation of efforts
- It may seem as though the safer sex message gets overplayed, stressed too much; it may have even become tired. Nonetheless, it has become evident that to abandon that message now would create complacency among people at risk for HIV infection. The end result would be a relaxation of life-saving techniques. We would be faced with a new generation of individuals testing antibody positive.1989 December 3, Michael De Mayo, “A New Word In AIDS Prevention: Relapse”, in Gay Community News, volume 17, number 21, page 16:
Unbending; recreation; a state or occupation intended to give mental or bodily relief after effort.
Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Physics The transition of a nucleus, atom or molecule from a higher energy level to a lower one; the opposite of excitation
Entertainment, Lifestyle, Music The release following musical tension.
- Derived terms
- antirelaxation, bronchorelaxation, dielectric relaxation, half-relaxation time, isovolumic relaxation time, letter of relaxation, longitudinal relaxation time, myorelaxation, nonrelaxation, overrelaxation, pilorelaxation, relaxational, relaxation time, spin-lattice relaxation time, spin-spin relaxation time, T1 relaxation time, T2 relaxation time, thermal relaxation time, transverse relaxation time, underrelaxation, vasorelaxation, violent relaxation
- Related terms
- relax, relaxable, relaxant, relaxate, relaxative