Verb

(en verb)

To make something soft or softer.

Soften the butter before beating in the sugar.

To undermine the morale of someone (often soften up ).

Before the invasion, we softened up the enemy with the artillery.

To make less harsh

Having second thoughts, I softened my criticism.

* '>citation

To become soft or softer

The butter softened as it warmed up.

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.