laxus, a, um, adj. [cf. languidus, languor, lactes], wide, loose, open; spacious, roomy; opp. adstrictus (not freq. till after the Aug. per.).
I Lit.: laxius agmen, Sall. ap. Non. 235, 16: casses, Verg. G. 4, 247: circli, id. ib. 3, 166: sinus, Tib. 1, 6, 18: toga, id. 1, 6, 40; 2, 3, 78; cf.: in pede calceus haeret, wide, loose , Hor. S. 1, 3, 32: nuces Ferre sinu laxo, id. ib. 2, 3, 171: qua satis laxo spatio equi permitti possent, Liv. 10, 5; so, spatium, wide, roomy , Sen. Ep. 88 med. ; cf.: laxior domus, Vell. 2, 81: janua, open , Ov. Am. 1, 8, 77: compages, Verg. A. 1, 122: mulier, Mart. 11, 21: habenae, Cic. Lael. 13 (v. under II.); Verg. A. 1, 63: frena, Ov. Am. 3, 4, 16; cf.: qui jam contento, jam laxo fune laborat, Hor. S. 2, 7, 20: arcus, slackened, unbent, unstrung , Verg. A. 11, 874: laxo meditantur arcu cedere campis, Hor. C. 3, 8, 23: opes, large, great , Mart. 2, 30, 4.—
II Trop.: laxissimas habenas habere amicitiae, very wide, loose , Cic. Lael. 13, 45: si bellum cum eo hoste haberemus, in quo neglegentiae laxior locus esset, greater latitude or scope , Liv. 24, 8; cf.: laxius imperium, less strict, more indulgent , Sall. J. 64: annona, i. e. reduced, cheap , Liv. 2, 52: caput, relaxed, disordered from drinking , Pers. 3, 58: vox, pronounced broad , Gell. 13, 20, 12: laxioribus verbis dicere aliquid, prolix, diffuse , id. 16, 1, 3.—Of time: diem statuo satis laxam, sufficiently distant , Cic. Att. 6, 1, 16: tempus sibi et quidem laxius postulavit, Plin. Ep. 4, 9 med. —Hence, adv.: laxē , widely, spaciously, loosely .
1 Lit.: vis sideris laxe grassantis, Plin. 2, 97, 99, § 217: distans, id. 13, 4, 7, § 33: aurum laxius dilatatur, id. 33, 3, 19, § 61: Mercurii stella laxissime vagatur, id. 2, 16, 13, § 66: medio suspendit vincula ponto, Et laxe fluitare sinit, loosely, freely , Luc. 4, 450: manus vincire, loosely , Liv. 9, 10, 7.—
2 Trop.: laxius proferre diem, to put farther off , Cic. Att. 13, 14, 1; cf.: volo laxius (sc. rem curari), id. ib. 15, 20, 4: de munere pastorum alii angustius, alii laxius constituere solent, a greater number, more , Varr. R. R. 2, 10, 10: in hostico laxius rapto suetis vivere artiores in pace res erant, more unrestrictedly, more freely , Liv. 28, 24, 6: Romanos remoto metu laxius licentiusque futuros, be more relaxed in discipline, more negligent, disorderly , Sall. J. 85.