loosen

loosen
    v 1: make loose or looser; "loosen the tension on a rope" [syn:
         {loosen}, {loose}] [ant: {stiffen}]
    2: make less severe or strict; "The government relaxed the
       curfew after most of the rebels were caught" [syn: {relax},
       {loosen}]
    3: become less severe or strict; "The rules relaxed after the
       new director arrived" [syn: {relax}, {loosen}]
    4: disentangle and raise the fibers of; "tease wool" [syn:
       {tease}, {tease apart}, {loosen}]
    5: cause to become loose; "undo the shoelace"; "untie the knot";
       "loosen the necktie" [syn: {untie}, {undo}, {loosen}]
    6: make less dense; "loosen the soil"
    7: become loose or looser or less tight; "The noose loosened";
       "the rope relaxed" [syn: {loosen}, {relax}, {loose}] [ant:
       {stiffen}]
    

Loosen \Loos"en\, v. i.
   To become loose; to become less tight, firm, or compact. --S.
   Sharp.
   [1913 Webster]
    

Loosen \Loos"en\ (l[=oo]s"'n), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Loosened}
   (l[=oo]s"'nd); p. pr. & vb. n. {Loosening}.] [See {Loose}, v.
   t.]
   1. To make loose; to free from tightness, tension, firmness,
      or fixedness; to make less dense or compact; as, to loosen
      a string, or a knot; to loosen a rock in the earth.
      [1913 Webster]

            After a year's rooting, then shaking doth the tree
            good by loosening of the earth.       --Bacon.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To free from restraint; to set at liberty..
      [1913 Webster]

            It loosens his hands, and assists his understanding.
                                                  --Dryden.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. To remove costiveness from; to facilitate or increase the
      alvine discharges of. --Bacon.
      [1913 Webster]
    

105 Moby Thesaurus words for "loosen":
      abate, bate, cast off, cushion, cut apart, detach, diffuse,
      discharge, disengage, disenthrall, disjoin, disperse, doff, ease,
      ease off, ease up, emancipate, fluff, free, gentle, knead, lax,
      laxate, let down, let go, let up, liberate, limber, limber up,
      loose, manumit, mash, massage, mellow, milden, mitigate, mollify,
      plump, pulp, relax, release, remit, remove, scatter, separate,
      sever, shake up, slack, slack off, slack up, slacken, slake, smash,
      soften, soften up, squash, subdue, supple, take off, tenderize,
      tone down, tune down, unbar, unbend, unbind, unbolt, unbrace,
      unbridle, unbuckle, unbutton, uncage, unchain, unclasp, undo,
      unfasten, unfetter, ungag, unglue, unhandcuff, unhobble, unhook,
      unlace, unlash, unlatch, unleash, unlock, unloose, unloosen,
      unmanacle, unmuzzle, unpen, unpinion, unscrew, unshackle, unstick,
      unstrain, unstrap, unstring, untether, untie, untighten, untruss,
      unyoke, weaken, weigh anchor