(verb) : laxo, āvi, ātum, 1, (rarely n.; v. I. B. 2. β. and II. B. β. infra) [id.]
* To stretch out, extend, to make wide or roomy, to expand.
* Lit.: forum,Cic. Att. 4, 16, 8: manipulos,to open the ranks,Caes. B. G. 2, 25: lilium ab angustiis in latitudinem paulatim se laxans,Plin. 21, 5, 11, § 22.
* Transf.
* Trop.
* To slacken, relax: laxare arcum,to slacken, unbend,Phaedr. 3, 14, 11: excussos rudentes,Verg. A. 3, 267: laxantur corpora rugis,become flabby with wrinkles,Ov. A. A. 3, 73: laxatis habenis invehi jussit,Curt. 4, 9, 24; 4, 15, 3: laxatisque vinculis ... ostendit manum,Just. 14, 4, 1: se cutis arida laxet,Juv. 6, 144: oleum ad nervos laxandos utile est,Plin. 23, 8, 80, § 157: corpus velut laxatum,Petr. 82: ferrum,to smelt,Stat. Achill. 1, 429.
* Neutr.: crebris fluctibus compages operis verberatae laxavere,were loosened, opened,Curt. 4, 3, 6.
* To lighten, ease: pharetra graves laxavit umeros,Sen. Herc. Oet. 787.
* To lighten, relieve, unbend, recreate (syn.: levo, libero): a contentione disputationis animos curamque laxemus, Cic. de Or. 3, 61, 230: judicum animos atque a severitate ad hilaritatem traducere,id. Brut. 93, 322: animum ab assiduis laboribus,Liv. 32, 5: ut istis te molestiis laxes, release yourself, Luc. ap. Cic. Fam. 5, 14, 3.
* To relax, mitigate, moderate, abate, weaken: alicui laxare aliquid laboris,Liv. 9, 16: vix primos inopina quies laxaverat artus,Verg. A. 5, 187: placida laxarant membra quiete ... nautae,id. ib. 5, 836: subtile examen justitiae,Gell. 1, 3: iram,Stat. Th. 6, 831: nigrantes tenebras id. ib. 12, 254: paulatim temeritate laxata,Petr. 82: longiore dierum spatio laxare dicendi necessitatem,to prolong, delay, defer,Quint. 10, 5, 22: memoriae inhaeret fldelius, quod nulla scribendi securitate laxatur,id. 10, 6, 2: rarescit multo laxatus vulnere miles,weakened,Sil. 17, 422.—To lay open, disclose, reveal (poet.): fata latentia laxa,Stat. Achill. 1, 508.
* To reduce the price of: annonam,Liv. 2, 34, 12; so neutr., to lessen, fall in price: annona laxaverat,Liv. 26, 20.—laxātus, a, um, P. a., spread out, separated, extended, wide.
* Lit.: custodiae,i. e. separated, withdrawn,Liv. 21, 32 fin.: custodia,Petr. 112: membrana laxatior,Plin. 19, 1, 3, § 17: laxati ordines (aciei),Tac. H. 3, 25; Sil. 9, 364: corpore laxati,released from the body,Cic. Rep. 6, 15 fin.
* Trop.: libidinum vinculis laxati,released, freed, free,Cic. de Sen. 3, 7: laxatus curis,id. Tusc. 1, 19, 44: pugna,a battle broken off,Liv. 21, 59: nox,i. e. clear,Sil. 13, 550.

s. TLL