Also: Loosen someone up
Meaning Of Idiom ‘Loosen Up’
To loosen up means to behave in a more relaxed manner and less serious manner; to become less formal; to talk freely; to allow oneself to behave freely in order to have a good time; to rid oneself of physical or mental tension. 1Heacock, Paul. Cambridge Dictionary of American Idioms]. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2010.,2Brenner, Gail Abel. Webster’s New World American Idioms Handbook]. Wiley, 2003.,3Liptak, Peter, et al. Idiom Attack Vol. 1: Everyday Living (French Edition) Idiom Attack 1: Everyday Living. Exile Press, 2011.
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Examples Of Use
“I decided to tell a joke at the beginning of my speech. I’m hoping it will loosen up the audience.”
“You need to loosen up. This is a very informal workplace and you are being way too serious.”
“By the second drink, she loosened up and began to talk about herself.”
“Why don’t you just loosen up and have some fun? If you keep behaving like this you’ll have a heart attack by the time you’re fifty.”
Origin
Used since at least the early 1900s.
Loosen has long been used to mean become more relaxed. Similar to other idioms, the word up is used to mean “to a higher level” or as an intensifier.
More Idioms Starting with L
- Like There’s No Tomorrow
- The Lights Are On But Nobody’s Home
- Lump In Your Throat
- Last Resort
- Loudmouth, be a
More Loosen Idioms
More Up Idioms
Sources
| 1. | ↲ | Heacock, Paul. Cambridge Dictionary of American Idioms]. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2010. |
| 2. | ↲ | Brenner, Gail Abel. Webster’s New World American Idioms Handbook]. Wiley, 2003. |
| 3. | ↲ | Liptak, Peter, et al. Idiom Attack Vol. 1: Everyday Living (French Edition) Idiom Attack 1: Everyday Living. Exile Press, 2011. |