1. vi. & vt.（使）轻松　 make or become less active and worried
2. vt. & vi.（使）松弛；放宽　 make or become less stiff or tight; make (effort or control) less severe

　～ one's attention　放松注意力
　～ one's grip　松开手
　～ one's hold　松开手
　～ the muscles　放松肌肉
　～ restrictions　放宽限制
　～ a rule　放宽一项规定
　～ one's vigilance　放松警惕
　～ beneficially　有益地放松
　～ blissfully　极其快乐地放松
　～ completely　完全放松
　～ contentedly　满意地放松
　～ momentarily　顷刻间地放松
　～ refreshingly　使人精神爽快地放松
　～ restfully　平静地放松
　～ totally　全部地放松
　～ at the seashore　在海边休养
　～ for half an hour　休息半小时
　～ in one's efforts　松劲
　～ into a smile　（从拘谨〔紧张〕状态中）轻松地一笑

　Relax when you dance.　跳舞时要放松。
　His index finger tightened on the trigger but then relaxed again.　他的食指扣住扳机，然后又松开了。
　He relaxed from his study.　他学习懈怠了。
　His face relaxed in a smile.　他的表情在一笑中变轻松了。
　We must not relax in our efforts.　我们决不能放松努力。
　She relaxed at the seashore.　她在海边休养。
　He lay back and let his eyes and mind relax.　他向后躺下，让眼睛和脑子休息一下。
　Let's stop working and relax for half an hour.　让我们停工休息半小时。
　A good massage always relaxes me.　有效的按摩总是使我放松。
　Relax your muscles to rest them.　松弛肌肉休息一下。
　He went out for a walk and relaxed his mind.　他出去散一会儿步，让脑子得到休息。
　A smile relaxed his stern mouth.　他一笑就使他那严峻的面孔舒展了。
　You must not relax your efforts for a moment.　你一刻也不能松劲。
　You shouldn't relax your attention completely.　你不应完全放松自己的注意力。
　Don't relax your efforts because the examinations are over.　不要因为考试完了就松劲。
　We shouldn't relax our vigilance at any time.　任何时候我们都不应该放松警惕。
　That country relaxed its rigid immigration laws.　那个国家把严格的移民法放宽了。
　The regulations can be relaxed only under unusual circumstances.　这些条例只有在非常情况下才能放宽。

 ♣ relax in〔into〕　(v.+prep.)
1. 舒服地或放松地坐在〔躺在〕… sit comfortably in; let the weight of the body sink into (furniture such as a chair)
　When I'm tired, I like to relax in〔into〕 a deep armchair.　我劳累时，喜欢舒舒服服地靠在一把高扶手椅子上休息一下。
2. 因松弛或轻松下来而转入… show less stiffness and anxiety by having or changing into (sth such as an expression of feeling)
　〔说明〕 relax in〔into〕常不用于被动结构。
　His worried face relaxed into a smile of greeting when he recognized us.　他认出我们后，焦虑的面容缓和下来，露出欢迎的笑容。
　The crowd relaxed into laughter at the speaker's excellent joke.　演讲者精彩的笑话使人群发出一片笑声，气氛轻松起来。
 ♣ relax grip〔hold〕 on　(v.+n.+prep.)
1. 松开，放开… stop holding (sth or sb) tightly
　Pain forced her to relax her grip on the oars.　她痛得松开了握着的双桨。
　Please relax your grip on my arm, you're hurting me.　你把我的胳膊抓得好痛，请松开手。
2. 放松对…的控制 cease having or using power over (sb or sth)
　The climber dared not to relax his hold on his nerves until he was safely at the top.　那个登山者在安全地登上山顶之前，一直全神贯注，不敢稍有放松。
　After a few weeks of firm control, the teacher was able to relax his grip on the class, who continued to obey him out of habit.　几周的严格管理后，这位老师终于放松了对这个班学生的控制，因为他们已习惯于服从他的管教了。

 ♣ relax, loosen, slacken
　这组词都有“放松”的意思。其区别是：relax指“放松限制，紧张，牢固性或严格性”; loosen应用的范围较广，可用于人或物从平时或暂时的束缚、限制中松开、解开；slacken则强调放松紧张或严格性的程度。

　relax　不是反身动词，不能说relax oneself. 例如：