relaxation

[ree-lak-sey-shuhn]

noun

1. abatement or relief from bodily or mental work, effort, application, etc.

2. an activity or recreation that provides such relief; diversion; entertainment.

   Synonyms: pleasure, amusement, fun

3. a loosening or slackening.

4. diminution or remission of strictness or severity.

5. Mathematics.,  a numerical procedure for solving systems of equations by successive approximations of the variables.

6. Physics.

   1. the return of a system undergoing dissipation to an initial state of equilibrium after being displaced from it.

   2. the approach to steady-state operation of a system that has undergone dissipation and a change in state or has been subjected to an abrupt periodic disturbance.

relaxation

/ ˌriːlækˈseɪʃən /

noun

1. rest or refreshment, as after work or effort; recreation

2. a form of rest or recreation

   his relaxation is cricket

3. a partial lessening of a punishment, duty, etc

4. the act of relaxing or state of being relaxed

5. physics the return of a system to equilibrium after a displacement from this state

6. maths a method by which errors resulting from an approximation are reduced by using new approximations

Other Word Forms

• nonrelaxation noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of relaxation¹

1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin relaxātiōn- (stem of relaxātiō ), equivalent to relaxāt ( us ) (past participle of relaxāre to relax; -ate ¹ ) + -iōn- -ion

Example Sentences

Whether it’s a group stroll, touch football game on the lawn, quick bike ride, run, or impromptu dancing to “Shake It Off,” moving your body aids digestion, regulates blood sugar, eases tension and promotes relaxation.

Read more on Salon

However, the wider relaxation in rules is widely thought to increase the chances Rosebank will ultimately be approved.

Read more on BBC

It was the height of relaxation—until I was broken from my trance by a test of the ship’s fire-alarm system.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Even the good times can make you yearn for the quiet relaxation of a hotel room with concierge service.

Read more on MarketWatch

After Taiwan's relaxation, only China, Hong Kong, Macau, Russia, and South Korea have specific import control measures for Japanese food products, the agency said.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• enjoyment 
• leisure 
• loosening www.thesaurus.com
• mitigation 
• pleasure 
• recreation 
• relief