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

Any relaxation of the semiconductor restrictions Beijing has been seeking could fuel another rally in semiconductor-equipment manufacturers.

Read more on Barron's

Senior bankers will be able to pocket bonuses more quickly under a relaxation of rules brought in after the financial crisis of 2007/2008.

Read more on BBC

For the ultimate in relaxation, there is a recovery room equipped with a sauna, cold plunge, and hot tub.

Read more on MarketWatch

In that paper, they found that while Cas9 usually cuts in the same DNA location every time, some mutated versions of the protein show a relaxation of those constraints.

Read more on Science Daily

Managing stress through relaxation techniques and limiting screen exposure before bedtime may enhance sleep duration and quality.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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