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Relax vs Release - What's the difference?

relax | release |

In transitive terms the difference between relax and release

is that relax is to relieve (something) from stress while release is to lease again; to grant a new lease of; to let back.

As a noun release is

the event of setting (someone or something) free (e.g. hostages, slaves, prisoners, caged animals, hooked or stuck mechanisms).

relax

English

Verb

(es)
  • To calm down.
  • To make something loose.
  • to relax''' a rope or cord; to '''relax the muscles or sinews
  • * Milton
  • Horror all his joints relaxed .
  • To become loose.
  • To make something less severe or tense.
  • to relax''' discipline; to '''relax one's attention or endeavours
  • To become less severe or tense.
  • To make something (such as codes and regulations) more lenient.
  • * Jonathan Swift
  • The stature of mortmain was at several times relaxed by the legislature.
    {{quote-book
    , year=1953 , author=Edward Corwin , title=The Constitution of the United States of America: Analysis and Interpretation , chapter=Section 2. Jurisdiction citation , page=589 , passage=The Court rejected the contention that the doctrine of sovereign immunity should be relaxed as inapplicable to suits for specific relief as distinguished from damage suits, saying: "The Government, as representative of the community as a whole, cannot be stopped in its tracks by any plaintiff who presents a disputed question of property or contract right."}}
  • (of codes and regulations) To become more lenient.
  • To relieve (something) from stress.
  • Amusement relaxes the mind.
  • (dated) To relieve from constipation; to loosen; to open.
  • An aperient relaxes the bowels.

    Antonyms

    * stress, excite

    Derived terms

    * relaxable

    Anagrams

    * ----

    release

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) relaisser (variant of relascher).

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The event of setting (someone or something) free (e.g. hostages, slaves, prisoners, caged animals, hooked or stuck mechanisms).
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=May-June, author= Charles T. Ambrose
  • , title= Alzheimer’s Disease , volume=101, issue=3, page=200, magazine=(American Scientist) , passage=Similar studies of rats have employed four different intracranial resorbable, slow sustained release systems—surgical foam, a thermal gel depot, a microcapsule or biodegradable polymer beads.}}
  • (software) The distribution of an initial or new and upgraded version of a computer software product; the distribution can be both public or private.
  • Anything recently released or made available (as for sale).
  • That which is released, untied or let go.
  • Derived terms
    * prerelease * release notes * release from requirement * software release * release process

    Verb

    (releas)
  • To let go (of); to cease to hold or contain.
  • To make available to the public.
  • To free or liberate; to set free.
  • To discharge.
  • (telephone) (of a call) To hang up.
  • (legal) To let go, as a legal claim; to discharge or relinquish a right to, as lands or tenements, by conveying to another who has some right or estate in possession, as when the person in remainder releases his right to the tenant in possession; to quit.
  • To loosen; to relax; to remove the obligation of.
  • to release an ordinance
    (Hooker)
  • (soccer) To set up; to provide with a goal-scoring opportunity
  • * {{quote-news, year=2011, date=September 13, author=Sam Lyon, work=BBC
  • , title= Borussia Dortmund 1-1 Arsenal , passage=With the Gunners far too lightweight in midfield, Mikel Arteta dropped back into a deeper-lying role. This freed Yossi Benayoun to go further forward, a move that helped forge a rare Arsenal chance on 30 minutes when the Israeli released Van Persie, only for the Dutchman's snap-shot to be tipped around the post.}}
    Antonyms
    * hold

    Etymology 2

    Verb

    (releas)
  • To lease again; to grant a new lease of; to let back.