loosen: Meaning and Definition of

loos•en

Pronunciation: (l'sun), [key]
— v.t.
  1. to unfasten or undo, as a bond or fetter.
  2. to make less tight; slacken or relax: to loosen one's grasp.
  3. to make less firmly fixed in place: to loosen a tooth.
  4. to let loose or set free from bonds, restraint, or constraint.
  5. to make less close or compact in structure or arrangement.
  6. to make less dense or coherent: to loosen the soil in a garden.
  7. to relax in strictness or severity, as restraint or discipline: to loosen restrictions on trade.
  8. to relieve (the bowels) of their constipated condition.
—v.i.
  1. to become loose or looser (sometimes fol. by up): His hold loosened. Your shoes will loosen up with wear.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
See also: