I.to stretch out, extend, to make wide or roomy, to expand.
I. 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.—
B. Transf.
1. To open, undo, unloose (syn. solvo): “vincula epistolae laxavit,” Nep. Paus. 4: “nodos Herculeos,” Luc. 4, 632: “ubi dolor vocem laxaverat,” had loosened his voice, Just. 42, 4, 13: “claustra,” Verg. A. 2, 259: “claustra portarum,” Juv. 8, 261: “intestina,” Plin. 8, 36, 54, § 129.—
2. 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.—
(β).
Neutr.: “crebris fluctibus compages operis verberatae laxavere,” were loosened, opened, Curt. 4, 3, 6.—
3. To lighten, ease: “pharetra graves laxavit umeros,” Sen. Herc. Oet. 787.—
II. Trop.
A. 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.—
B. 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.—
(β).
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.
A. Lit.: “custodiae,” i. e. separated, withdrawn, Liv. 21, 32 fin.: “custodia,” Petr. 112: “membrana laxatior,” Plin. 19, 1, 3, § 17: “laxati ordines (aciei),” Tac.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.—
B. 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.
