RELAXATION

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does relaxation mean? 

• RELAXATION (noun)
  The noun RELAXATION has 7 senses:

1. (physiology) the gradual lengthening of inactive muscle or muscle fibers

2. (physics) the exponential return of a system to equilibrium after a disturbance

3. a feeling of refreshing tranquility and an absence of tension or worry

4. an occurrence of control or strength weakening

5. freedom from activity (work or strain or responsibility)

6. a method of solving simultaneous equations by guessing a solution and then reducing the errors that result by successive approximations until all the errors are less than some specified amount

7. the act of making less strict

  Familiarity information: RELAXATION used as a noun is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• RELAXATION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

(physiology) the gradual lengthening of inactive muscle or muscle fibers

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural processes

Hypernyms ("relaxation" is a kind of...):

growth; increase; increment (a process of becoming larger or longer or more numerous or more important)

Domain category:

physiology (the branch of the biological sciences dealing with the functioning of organisms)

Derivation:

relax (become less tense, rest, or take one's ease)

relax (make less taut)

Sense 2

Meaning:

(physics) the exponential return of a system to equilibrium after a disturbance

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural processes

Synonyms:

relaxation; relaxation behavior

Hypernyms ("relaxation" is a kind of...):

exponential decay; exponential return (a decrease that follows an exponential function)

Domain category:

natural philosophy; physics (the science of matter and energy and their interactions)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A feeling of refreshing tranquility and an absence of tension or worry

Classified under:

Nouns denoting feelings and emotions

Synonyms:

easiness; relaxation

Context example:

the easiness we feel when sleeping

Hypernyms ("relaxation" is a kind of...):

quietness; quietude; tranquility; tranquillity (a state of peace and quiet)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "relaxation"):

dreaminess; languor (a relaxed comfortable feeling)

Derivation:

relax (cause to feel relaxed)

relax (become less tense, less formal, or less restrained, and assume a friendlier manner)

Sense 4

Meaning:

An occurrence of control or strength weakening

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

loosening; relaxation; slackening

Context example:

the slackening of the wind

Hypernyms ("relaxation" is a kind of...):

weakening (becoming weaker)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "relaxation"):

thaw (a relaxation or slackening of tensions or reserve; becoming less hostile)

Derivation:

relax (become loose or looser or less tight)

relax (make less active or fast)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Freedom from activity (work or strain or responsibility)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

ease; relaxation; repose; rest

Context example:

took his repose by the swimming pool

Hypernyms ("relaxation" is a kind of...):

inactivity (being inactive; being less active)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "relaxation"):

bed rest; bedrest (confinement to bed continuously (as in the case of some sick or injured persons))

laziness (relaxed and easy activity)

lie-in (a long stay in bed in the morning)

dormancy; quiescence; quiescency; sleeping (quiet and inactive restfulness)

leisure (freedom to choose a pastime or enjoyable activity)

Derivation:

relax (become less tense, rest, or take one's ease)

Sense 6

Meaning:

A method of solving simultaneous equations by guessing a solution and then reducing the errors that result by successive approximations until all the errors are less than some specified amount

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

relaxation; relaxation method

Hypernyms ("relaxation" is a kind of...):

mathematical operation; mathematical process; operation ((mathematics) calculation by mathematical methods)

Sense 7

Meaning:

The act of making less strict

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

liberalisation; liberalization; relaxation

Hypernyms ("relaxation" is a kind of...):

alleviation; easement; easing; relief (the act of reducing something unpleasant (as pain or annoyance))

Derivation:

relax (become less severe or strict)

relax (make less severe or strict)

 Context examples 

Methylergonovine stimulates serotoninergic and dopaminergic receptors as well as inhibits the release of endothelial-derived relaxation factor.

(Methylergonovine Maleate, NCI Thesaurus)

This results in relaxation of bronchial smooth muscle and other smooth muscles.

(Dyphylline, NCI Thesaurus)

This protein is involved in the relaxation of supercoiled DNA.

(DNA Topoisomerase 3-Alpha, NCI Thesaurus)

Increased intracellular cAMP levels cause relaxation of smooth muscle.

(Clenbuterol, NCI Thesaurus)

The minimum time between successive cycles of contraction and subsequent relaxation of the ventricles, usually expressed as beats per minute, obtained from a set of measurements of the ventricular rate.

(Minimum Ventricular Heart Rate, NCI Thesaurus)

It is characterized by delayed muscle relaxation following stimulation or contraction.

(Myotonic Disorder, NCI Thesaurus)

In addition, this agent appears to reduce sensitivity of muscle spindles to stretch causing muscle relaxation.

(Phenytoin, NCI Thesaurus)

Ultimately both effects result in blood vessel relaxation.

(Omapatrilat, NCI Thesaurus)

It is released by the vascular endothelium and mediates the relaxation induced by some vasodilators such as acetylcholine and bradykinin.

(Nitric Oxide, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) Other methods I use to relieve pain include; relaxation techniques.

(BPI - Relaxation Techniques Relieve Pain, NCI Thesaurus)