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Loosen vs Unbend - What's the difference?

loosen | unbend | Related terms |

Loosen is a related term of unbend.


As verbs the difference between loosen and unbend

is that loosen is to make loose while unbend is to free from flexure; to make, or allow to become, straight; to loosen.

loosen

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • To make loose.
  • to loosen a knot
    After the Thanksgiving meal, Bill loosened his belt.
  • * Francis Bacon
  • After a year's rooting, then shaking doth the tree good by loosening of the earth.
  • To free from restraint; to set at liberty.
  • * Dryden
  • It loosens his hands, and assists his understanding.
  • To remove costiveness from; to facilitate or increase the alvine discharges of.
  • (Francis Bacon)

    Antonyms

    * tighten

    Derived terms

    * loosen the apron strings * loosen the purse strings * loosener

    See also

    * lose English ergative verbs

    unbend

    English

    Verb

  • To free from flexure; to make, or allow to become, straight; to loosen.
  • to unbend a bow
  • To remit from a strain or from exertion; to set at ease for a time; to relax.
  • to unbend the mind from study or care
  • * Shakespeare
  • You do unbend your noble strength.
  • To unfasten, as sails, from the spars or stays to which they are attached for use.
  • To cast loose or untie, as a rope.
  • To cease to be bent; to become straight or relaxed.
  • To relax in exertion, attention, severity, or the like; hence, to indulge in mirth or amusement.
  • *1918 , (Edgar Rice Burroughs), Chapter VI
  • *:He spent the afternoon shaping a swagger-stick from the branch of jarrah and talking with Miss La Rue, who had sufficiently unbent toward him to notice his existence.