relaxation

relaxation
    n 1: (physiology) the gradual lengthening of inactive muscle or
         muscle fibers
    2: (physics) the exponential return of a system to equilibrium
       after a disturbance [syn: {relaxation}, {relaxation
       behavior}]
    3: a feeling of refreshing tranquility and an absence of tension
       or worry; "the easiness we feel when sleeping" [syn:
       {easiness}, {relaxation}]
    4: an occurrence of control or strength weakening; "the
       relaxation of requirements"; "the loosening of his grip";
       "the slackening of the wind" [syn: {relaxation}, {loosening},
       {slackening}]
    5: freedom from activity (work or strain or responsibility);
       "took his repose by the swimming pool" [syn: {rest}, {ease},
       {repose}, {relaxation}]
    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 [syn: {relaxation}, {relaxation
       method}]
    7: the act of making less strict [syn: {liberalization},
       {liberalisation}, {relaxation}]
    

Relaxation \Re`lax*a"tion\ (r?`l?ks-?"sh?n;277), n. [L.
   relaxatio; cf. F. relaxation.]
   1. The act or process of relaxing, or the state of being
      relaxed; as, relaxation of the muscles; relaxation of a
      law.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. Remission from attention and effort; indulgence in
      recreation, diversion, or amusement. "Hours of careless
      relaxation." --Macaulay.
      [1913 Webster]
    

129 Moby Thesaurus words for "relaxation":
      abatement, abridgment, allayment, alleviation, amusement,
      assuagement, attenuation, attrition, bagginess, blunting, calming,
      carelessness, comfort, contraction, cushioning, dampening, damping,
      deadening, debilitation, decrease, decrement, decrescence,
      deduction, deflation, demulsion, depreciation, depression,
      devitalization, dilution, diminishment, diminution, diversion,
      divertisement, divertissement, dulcification, dulling, dying,
      dying off, ease, easiness, easing, easygoingness, effemination,
      enervation, enfeeblement, enjoyment, entertainment, evisceration,
      exhaustion, extenuation, fade-out, falling-off, fatigue, fun,
      hushing, impotence, imprecision, inactivity, inanition,
      indifference, languishment, laxation, laxity, laxness, leisure,
      leniency, lessening, letdown, letup, lightening, looseness,
      loosening, lowering, lulling, mellowing, miniaturization, mirth,
      mitigation, moderation, modulation, mollification, mollifying,
      negligence, overindulgence, overpermissiveness, pacification,
      padding, palliation, passe-temps, pastime, permissiveness,
      pleasure, quiet, quietening, quieting, recreation, reduction,
      regalement, relaxedness, relief, remission, remissness, repose,
      rest, restfulness, ricketiness, sagging, scaling down, shakiness,
      simplicity, slackening, slackness, sleep, sloppiness, softening,
      softening-up, softness, solace, soothing, subduement, subtraction,
      tempering, thinning, tranquilization, tranquillity,
      unbuttoned ease, unrestraint, weakening, weakness