Middle English Dictionary Entry
relaxen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | relaxen v. Sg.3 relaxeth, (error) alaxeth. |
| Etymology | OF relaxer & L relaxare. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To loosen (a bandage, compress, stitches), ease tension or pressure on (sth.); diminish (swelling), soften (hardness of a bodily part); relax (muscles), ease (rigidness in the body); (b) to decrease tension, loosen; (c) pathol. kynoyda relaxed, elongated uvula, staphyloptosia; (d) ppl. relaxed, of soil: loosened; (e) to dismiss (legal proceedings), remit (a demand or debt).
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)216a/b : Ote..haþ vertu to relaxe and aȝens swellynge, and to relaxe noyeful hardenesse.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)9b/a : When one [tendon] draweþ, anoþer is relaxed [Ch.(2): slakeþ; L relaxatur].
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)55a/b : Þis suture..is suspecte, for one point y-bruste or broken, þe toþer ar relaxed.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)73a/b : Þe face..takeþ partie wiþ þe heued in roundenez &..it defaileþ fro þat ligature, And..þis ligging relaxeþ it.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)100b/a : Euery day be seen þat þe ligature be not relaxed, And be it euermore fastned agayn.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)90a/b : Ȝif it so be þat þe wounde þat is bounden in þis manere happen for to ȝeue quiture..þen þe parties þat lien aboute schulen be constreined & þe orifice of þe wounde relaxed.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)90b/a : Rollinge aboute a grete weie fro þe wounde, constreynynge faster apon þe wounde & relaxinge þe parties þat lien nye þe wounde litil & litil.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)126a/b : When þu felest þe schulder bone euen aȝeines his hole, bid þe minister þat holdeþ þe elbowe þat he relaxe it.
- ?a1450 Macer (Stockh Med.10.91)102 : Terbentyne is seide to hele þe swellynges of þe matrice..and so eke she alaxeþ [Htrn 497 relaxyth; ?read: relaxeþ; Cmb Ee.1.15: relesyth; Lat: relaxat] þe synues of þe matrice.
- c1475 *Mondeville (Wel 564)150a/a : Euere þe furþere þat þou wyndis fro the wounde þe more relaxe þi rollere.
b
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)85b/a : Be it bounden streytely with a bende contenyng boþe extremiteez of þe cauerne in bygynnyng at þe grounde of it vn to þe orifice of it, relaxyng [Ch.(2): in lousynge].
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)124b/b : Streine hem neiþer to faste neiþer to softe þat þi prickes mowe passe þurȝ þe canels, þat þe ligature mowe in nomanere relaxe.
- c1475 *Mondeville (Wel 564)150a/a : Siche anoþir roller..schal be wounden vpon þe wounde & þe parties aboute..streynynge & relaxynge as it is aforeseid.
c
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)141a/a : G. forsoþ..telleþ þe best medicyne of Asclepiadis to kynoydas relaxed [Ch.(2): þe loosede vuefalles; L chynoydas relaxatas].
d
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)2.140 : Ragston & thinges hard, in cold and hete Relaxed, bereth vyneyerdes grete.
e
- (1450) Let.Christ Ch.in RS 85.3211 : All demaunds be way of dette or plee or othyr wyse be pardouned and remitted and relaxid and for geven.