loosen
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++loos·en /ˈluːsən/ ●○○ verb 1 [intransitive, transitive]LOOSE to make something less tight or less firmly fastened, or to become less tight or less firmly fastened （使）变松；松开 OPP tighten You’ll need a spanner to loosen that bolt. 你需要扳手来拧开那个螺栓。 The screws have loosened. 螺丝松了。 Harry loosened his tie. 哈里松开了领带。 →5 see picture at 见图 undo2 [transitive]STRICT to make laws, rules etc less strict 放宽〔法律、规定等〕 SYN relax OPP tighten Congress has loosened the restrictions on immigration. 国会已放宽了移民限制。3 loosen your grip/hold a) CONTROLto reduce the control or power you have over someone or something 放松〔对…的〕控制[操纵]loosen your grip/hold on The government has loosened its hold on the media considerably. 政府已大大放松了对媒体的控制。 b) HOLDto start holding someone or something less tightly than you were before 松开，放开〔手等〕 OPP tightenloosen your grip/hold on He loosened his grip on David’s arm. 他松开了抓着戴维胳膊的手。4. loosen somebody’s tongue TALK TO somebodyto make someone talk more than usual, especially about things they should not talk about 使某人说话不拘束〔尤指说不该说的事〕5 loosen up phrasal verb a) RELAXEDto stop worrying and become more relaxed, or to make someone do this （使）无拘无束，（使）放松 She loosened up after she’d had a drink. 一杯酒下肚她便放松了下来。loosen somebody ↔ up His welcoming smile helped loosen her up. 他那热情的微笑有助于使她放松下来。b) DSif your muscles loosen up, or if something loosens them up, they stop feeling stiff （使）〔肌肉〕活动开来，放松loosen something ↔ up A massage will loosen up your joints. 按摩可以放松关节。→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
loosen• Loosen any tight clothing, and lay the patient on his side.• Major's attachment to free market doctrine has been loosened by the public's refusal to let short-termism shut Britain's pits.• Eric leaned back in his chair and loosened his belt.• A comrade loosened his grasp, and his faithful gray stood quietly..• When the policeman loosened his grip, Biff ran away.• Finally, he decides to unbuckle his belt, loosen his pants, sit back and relax.• Bill loosened his tie and lit a cigarette.• Carter took off his jacket and loosened his tie.• But presently the crowd loosened into smaller groups and a good many people went off into the village or set off for outlying farms.• I'd eaten so much that I had to loosen my belt.• After the meal we all had to loosen our belts.• Congress has loosened some of the restrictions on immigration.• He regained his sight after treatment with ointment, which eventually loosened the glue.• He grasped one of the mules and began to loosen the hitch that held its load.• He took a screwdriver from his pocket and began loosening the screws that secured the steel bars to the window frame.• Could you loosen this lid for me?• These are good characteristics, but you need to loosen up a little.• Claire used to try to get her to loosen up over a drink.loos·en verbChineseSyllable
tight Corpus or make less to less something firmly
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loosen
loos‧en /ˈluːsən/
verb
1. [intransitive and transitive] to make something less tight or less firmly fastened, or to become less tight or less firmly fastened
OPP tighten:
You’ll need a spanner to loosen that bolt.
The screws have loosened.
Harry loosened his tie.
2. [transitive] to make laws, rules etc less strict
SYN relax
OPP tighten:
Congress has loosened the restrictions on immigration.
3. loosen your grip/hold
a. to reduce the control or power you have over someone or something
loosen your grip/hold on
The government has loosened its hold on the media considerably.
b. to start holding someone or something less tightly than you were before
OPP tighten
loosen your grip/hold on
He loosened his grip on David’s arm.
4. loosen sb’s tongue to make someone talk more than usual, especially about things they should not talk about
loosen up phrasal verb
1. to stop worrying and become more relaxed, or to make someone do this:
She loosened up after she’d had a drink.
loosen somebody ↔ up
His welcoming smile helped loosen her up.
2. if your muscles loosen up, or if something loosens them up, they stop feeling stiff
loosen something ↔ up
A massage will loosen up your joints.
▪ unfasten to open the two sides of a piece of clothing, bag, belt etc: It was hot in the waiting-room, so I unfastened my coat. | Please do not unfasten your seatbelt while the vehicle is in motion.
▪undo to unfasten clothes or unfasten buttons, zips etc on clothes: My fingers were so cold that I couldn’t undo the buttons.
▪untie to unfasten the knot that fastens shoes, a tie, a scarf etc: He untied his shoes and kicked them off.
▪unbutton to unfasten the buttons on a piece of clothing: She slowly unbuttoned her blouse.
▪unzip to unfasten clothes, bags etc by unfastening a zip: She unzipped the case and took out a thick file.
▪loosen to unfasten clothes a little, but not completely, in order to make yourself more comfortable: Carter took off his jacket and loosened his tie.
▪open to unfasten a bag, box, or other container: ‘Could you open your bag, please?’ said the security guard.
loos‧en /ˈluːsən/
verb1. [intransitive and transitive] to make something less tight or less firmly fastened, or to become less tight or less firmly fastened
OPP tighten:
2. [transitive] to make laws, rules etc less strict
SYN relax
OPP tighten:
3. loosen your grip/hold
a. to reduce the control or power you have over someone or something
loosen your grip/hold on
b. to start holding someone or something less tightly than you were before
OPP tighten
loosen your grip/hold on
4. loosen sb’s tongue to make someone talk more than usual, especially about things they should not talk about
loosen up phrasal verb
1. to stop worrying and become more relaxed, or to make someone do this:
loosen somebody ↔ up
2. if your muscles loosen up, or if something loosens them up, they stop feeling stiff
loosen something ↔ up
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