Part 181

Tooke.

2. Indicating or specifying some relation.

Relational words, as prepositions, auxiliaries, etc.

R. Morris.

Re*la"tion*ist, n. A relative; a relation. [Obs.]

Re*la"tion*ship, n. The state of being related by kindred, affinity, or other alliance. Mason.

Rel"a*tive (r?l"?-t?v), a. [F. relatif, L. relativus. See Relate.] 1. Having relation or reference; referring; respecting; standing in connection; pertaining; as, arguments not relative to the subject.

I'll have grounds More relative than this.

Shak.

2. Arising from relation; resulting from connection with, or reference to, something else; not absolute.

Every thing sustains both an absolute and a relative capacity: an absolute, as it is such a thing, endued with such a nature; and a relative, as it is a part of the universe, and so stands in such a relations to the whole.

South.

3. (Gram.) Indicating or expressing relation; refering to an antecedent; as, a relative pronoun.

4. (Mus.) Characterizing or pertaining to chords and keys, which, by reason of the identify of some of their tones, admit of a natural transition from one to the other. Moore (Encyc. of Music).

Relative clause (Gram.), a clause introduced by a relative pronoun. -- Relative term, a term which implies relation to, as guardian to ward, matter to servant, husband to wife. Cf. Correlative.

Rel"a*tive, n. One who, or that which, relates to, or is considered in its relation to, something else; a relative object or term; one of two object or term; one of two objects directly connected by any relation. Specifically: (a) A person connected by blood or affinity; strictly, one allied by blood; a relation; a kinsman or kinswoman. "Confining our care . . . to ourselves and relatives." Bp. Fell. (b) (Gram.) A relative pronoun; a word which relates to, or represents, another word or phrase, called its antecedent; as, the relatives "who", "which", "that".

Rel"a*tive*ly, adv. In a relative manner; in relation or respect to something else; not absolutely.

Consider the absolute affections of any being as it is in itself, before you consider it relatively.

I. Watts.

Rel"a*tive*ness, n. The state of being relative, or having relation; relativity.

Rel`a*tiv"i*ty (-t?v"?-t?), n. The state of being relative; as, the relativity of a subject. Coleridge.

Re*lat"or (r?-l?t"?r), n. [ L.: cf. F. relateur. See Relate.] 1. One who relates; a relater. "The several relators of this history." Fuller.

2. (Law) A private person at whose relation, or in whose behalf, the attorney-general allows an information in the nature of a quo warranto to be filed.

Re*lat"rix (-r?ks), n. [L.] (Law) A female relator.

Re*lax" (r?-l?ks"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Relaxed (-l?kst"); p. pr. & vb. n. Relaxing.] [L. relaxare; pref. re- re- + laxare to loose, to slacken, from laxus loose. See Lax, and cf. Relay, n., Release.] 1. To make lax or loose; to make less close, firm, rigid, tense, or the like; to slacken; to loosen; to open; as, to relax a rope or cord; to relax the muscles or sinews.

Horror . . . all his joints relaxed.

Milton.

Nor served it to relax their serried files.