vt. & vi.松开，放宽 make or become less controlled or more easy and free in movement

　～ sb's cough　（药）减轻某人的咳嗽
　～ one's tongue　信口开河
　～ comfortably　很舒服地放松
　～ healthfully　健康地放松
　～ partially　不完全地放开
　～ radically　彻底地松开
　～ scientifically　科学地放松
　～ sufficiently　足够地放松
　～ up　松弛下来
　～ up one's muscles　使某人肌肉松弛

　The screw has loosened.　螺丝钉松了。
　The tie loosened.　领带松了。
　The government's control over the newspapers has loosened in recent years.　近年来政府已放松了对报纸的控制。
　Loosen the screw.　把螺丝钉放松。
　He loosened his tie.　他松开了领带。
　If your belt is too tight, loosen it.　如果你的腰带太紧了，就松一松。
　He loosened his grip on the handle.　他松开了紧抓把手的手。
　The medicine may loosen your cough.　这种药能减轻你的咳嗽。

 ♣ loosen up　(v.+adv.)
1. 放松 become less tense, relax; limber up
　This rope has loosened up.　这根绳子松了。
　Your shoes will loosen up with wear.　你的鞋穿穿就会松的。
　He has loosened the soil up with a fork.　他用耙松过土了。
　I must take some exercise and loosen up my muscles.　我必须活动活动，使肌肉放松些。
2. （指采取行动）作准备〔放松〕活动 be ready for action
　The runners are just loosening up before the race.　参加赛跑的人在开赛之前，正做一些准备活动。
　After a few drinks we loosened up and began to enjoy ourselves.　喝了几杯之后我们不再拘束，开始热闹起来。
　I loosen up with a few exercise before the match.　比赛前我做了一些准备活动。
3. 放宽限制 be less firm in demanding sth such as the law
　Officials have been instructed to loosen up on the rules for admitting people into the country.　官员们已收到命令，放宽对入境人员的限制。
　The new policies loosened up foreign trade.　新政策使对外贸易有了更大的灵活性。
4. 用钱大方 become more liberal or generous with money
　After the death of his stingy wife, Edward loosened up a great deal.　爱德华在吝啬的妻子死后，用钱大方多了。
5. 开口说话 talk freely
　If you don't loosen up soon, I shall have to find other ways of making you talk.　如果你不马上说话，我可要找别的方法叫你开口了。
　He loosened up under the liquor.　他喝了酒后无所顾忌地乱说起来。

 ♣ loosen, loose
　这组词都有“松开”的意思。其区别是：loosen的意思是“松开，放宽一点”，以便于活动、伸展，强调没有原来那么紧，不一定完全放开；loose作“使无约束，使松弛”解时，语气正式，含有不受任何拘束、完全彻底解除束缚之义，只用作及物动词。
 ♣ loosen, relax, slacken
　参见relax条。