See Also: loosen(medicine)
loosen(dictionary)
loosen(dictionary)

loosen (iou)



loosen verb. ME.
[from LOOSE adjective + -EN5.]
I. verb trans.
Set free (lit. & fig.), release from bonds or physical restraint. Now chiefly (fig.) make (a person's tongue) talk more freely. ME.
F. Tuohy Tongues loosened..by..the urgency of getting their say.
Undo, untie, unfasten (bonds, a knot, etc.). Now esp. make looser or less tight, relax, slacken, fig. relax in point of severity or strictness. LME.
loosen the purse-strings: see PURSE-STRING.
J. G. Cozzens Ernest relaxed more.., consciously loosening each muscle. H. Williamson He dismounted to loosen the curb-chain, which had been hooked too tight under the animal's jaw. D. Athill Pain and exhaustion had loosened her grip on life.
Weaken the adhesion or attachment of; unfix, detach. LME.
Ld Macaulay A wall which time..had so loosened that it shook in every storm. M. M. Kaye A breeze blowing through the branches loosened the petals and sent them floating down.
b. fig. Detach in affection, make a breach between. Only in E17.
a. Relieve the costiveness of, cause a free evacuation of (the bowels). L16.
b. Make (a cough) produce phlegm or sputum with less difficulty. M19.
Make less coherent; separate the particles of. L17.
Dryden Iron Teeth of Rakes..to move The crusted Earth and loosen it.
II. verb intrans.
Become loose or looser; relax. L17.
A. P. Herbert The taut rope, loosening, scattered a shower of brilliant rain. M. Piercy He had begun to warm towards me, to loosen. A. Lurie Garrett's tongue seemed to be loosening.
Foll. by up:
a. Give money willingly, talk freely. N. Amer. colloq. E20.
R. D. Paine Someone will have to loosen up to pay for the damage.
b. Exercise the muscles before concentrated physical effort, limber up. M20.
M. Russell I'll be twenty minutes loosening up...I'm after the exercise.
loosener noun (a) a thing which or person who loosens something; (b) Cricket a (not very good) ball delivered before the bowler is fully loosened or warmed up: M17.