489: lax versus relax Apr 10, 2016

If one were to read something and then reread it, she would have read it at least twice. 'Lax' and 'relaxed' are not subject to the order in time, which would be difficult to justify simply on the basis that 'lax' is an adjective. That word comes from late Middle English when it meant ‘loose,’ often in terms of one's bowels, and ultimately is derived from Latin 'laxus'. The only difference is that the 're-' expresses intensity.