lax

a. [ Compar. Laxer superl. Laxest. ] [ L. laxus Cf. Laches, Languish, Lease, v. t., Leash. ] 1. Not tense, firm, or rigid; loose; slack; as, a lax bandage; lax fiber. [ 1913 Webster ]

The flesh of that sort of fish being lax and spongy. Ray. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Not strict or stringent; not exact; loose; weak; vague; equivocal. [ 1913 Webster ]

The discipline was lax. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

Society at that epoch was lenient, if not lax, in matters of the passions. J. A. Symonds. [ 1913 Webster ]

The word “æternus” itself is sometimes of a lax signification. Jortin. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Having a looseness of the bowels; diarrheal. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Loose; slack; vague; unconfined; unrestrained; dissolute; licentious. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. laxatio, fr. laxare to loosen, fr. laxus loose, slack. ] The act of loosening or slackening, or the state of being loosened or slackened. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. laxativus mitigating, assuaging: cf. F. laxatif. See Lax, a. ] 1. Having a tendency to loosen or relax. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Med.) Having the effect of loosening or opening the intestines, and relieving from constipation; -- opposed to astringent. -- n. (Med.) A laxative medicine. See the Note under Cathartic. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being laxative. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL., fr. L. laxare, laxatum, to loosen. ] (Anat.) That which loosens; -- esp., a muscle which by its contraction loosens some part. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. laxitas, fr. laxus loose, slack: cf. F. laxité, See Lax, a. ] The state or quality of being lax; lack of tenseness, strictness, or exactness. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a lax manner. [ 1913 Webster ]