Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1722-1791
[0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]
RELAX, v. Sc. Law: to release a person from a judicial penalty, esp. to remove the outlawry on one who has been put to the horn. Hence relaxation, release from a judicial penalty, esp. outlawry. Phr. letters of relaxation, see Letter, n., 2. (18). Obs. exc. hist.Sc. 1722 W. Forbes Institutes I. II. 24:
The Effect of Denunciation is taken off by Letters of Relaxation under the Signet, Which require the same Solemnities of Publication and Registration, as Denunciation.Sc. 1752 J. Louthian Form of Process 139–141:
The Lords Justice-Clerk, and Commissioners of Justiciary, grant Warrant for Letters of Relaxation. . . . That ye relax the said . . . from the Process of Denounciation led against them.Sc. 1791 Kames Decisions II. 329:
He who relaxes and registers not, cannot alienate, being still holden and repute rebel.
You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Relax v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 16 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/relax>
