adjective

1. 1. loose; emptying easily: said of the bowels
   2. having lax bowels
2. slack; of a loose texture; not rigid or tight
3. not strict or exact; careless lax morals
4. Bot. loose; open: said of a flower cluster
5. Phonet. articulated with the jaw and tongue muscles relatively relaxed: said of certain vowels, as (e) and (i)

Etymology: ME < L laxus < IE base *(s)lēg-, loose, lax > slack

noun