LOOSENING

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does loosening mean? 

• LOOSENING (noun)
  The noun LOOSENING has 2 senses:

1. an occurrence of control or strength weakening

2. the act of making something less tight

  Familiarity information: LOOSENING used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• LOOSENING (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An occurrence of control or strength weakening

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

loosening; relaxation; slackening

Context example:

the slackening of the wind

Hypernyms ("loosening" is a kind of...):

weakening (becoming weaker)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "loosening"):

thaw (a relaxation or slackening of tensions or reserve; becoming less hostile)

Derivation:

loosen (become loose or looser or less tight)

loosen (make loose or looser)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The act of making something less tight

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

laxation; loosening

Hypernyms ("loosening" is a kind of...):

adjustment; alteration; modification (the act of making something different (as e.g. the size of a garment))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "loosening"):

undoing; unfastening; untying (loosening the ties that fasten something)

Antonym:

tightening (the act of making something tighter)

Derivation:

loosen (become loose or looser or less tight)

loosen (make loose or looser)

loosen (cause to become loose)

 Context examples 

It is characterized by loss of elasticity resulting in loosening and folding of the skin.

(Cutis Laxa, NCI Thesaurus)

As an ANG1 and TIE2 antagonist, ANG2 may counteract blood vessel maturation or stability by loosening cell-matrix contacts and inducing endothelial apoptosis.

(Angiopoietin-2, NCI Thesaurus)

At first he had tried to keep it in the basement; but the tribe of Silva, loosening the bearings and puncturing the tires, had driven him out.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

This accomplished, he pried gently and carefully, loosening the jaws a bit at a time, while Matt, a bit at a time, extricated White Fang's mangled neck.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

“Pasques Dieu!” cried the archer, loosening his jerkin, and eyeing his foeman over with the keen glance of one who is a judge of manhood.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

A type of schizophrenia characterized by frequent incoherence; marked loosening of associations, or grossly disorganized behavior and flat or grossly inappropriate affect that does not meet the criteria for the catatonic type; associated features include extreme social withdrawal, grimacing, mannerisms, mirror gazing, inappropriate giggling, and other odd behavior.

(Disorganized Type Schizophrenia, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)