LOOSEN

[verb] [I]Over the years, the screws holding the bed together had loosened (= become less fixed).If you loosen your grip on something, or your grip loosens, you hold something less tightly.Loosen your grip on the steering wheel, you're holding it too tightly. [T] He held my hand very tightly at first but gradually his grip loosened. [I](figurative) The dictator's grip on the country has not loosened (= he is still strongly in control). [I]Something which loosens your tongue makes you speak more freely.A couple of glasses of champagne had loosened my tongue and I said things that perhaps I shouldn't have.If you loosen up (your muscles), you do stretching exercises to prepare your body for physical activity.You might get a muscle injury if you don't loosen up properly before running. [I]She did a few stretches to loosen up her muscles. [M]To loosen (someone) up is also to (cause them to) become more relaxed and less worried.He seemed quite nervous at the beginning of the meeting, but he soon loosened up. [I]A gin and tonic will loosen you up. [M]