Difficult one....

[Arcadian]

Hi new member here.

Thought I'd seen it all over the past 70 odd years or so and now semi-retired from the academic world (Risk Research) I've still not been able to find the best suitable opposite to the word "tense". In the sense of tensing in anticipation of a dramatic physical blow say to the stomach where the stomach muscles instinctively harden.

So in a short wartime novel I'm thinking of writing here's an example....

"With both ears blocked, arms and hands tied behind his back and legs shackled to the prison wall, the convicted enemy spy seeing the gruesomely disfigured interrogating officer slowly drawing back his right arm and in his right hand holding a short chain and heavy metal ball taking aim for his stomach, instantly shut his eyes and quickly taking a deep breath instinctively tensed his stomach muscles in preparation for the inevitably fatal blow.

But nothing happened....

More seconds passed....

Now desperate to take a breath the prisoner quickly opened one eye then closed it again shocked to realise the room was empty.

Gasping with relief his heart racing he gratefully drew in great lungfulls of air yet physically quite unable to "relax/"untense" his still rock hard stomach muscles."

So in such a life threatening situation as this the word relax for me just isn't strong or vivid enough to convey what he was going through, so searched for a better word but apart from "untense" I couldn't and still can't think of anything better.

So into the latest dictionary at home and online to see what they could offer but still nothing, not even my 2003 Rogets Thesaurus could offer anything either. So "Untense" doesn't appear to exist anywhere yet in this sort of dramatic situation relaxing his muscles is just too weak, whereas untensed for me retains the ongoing high tension of the slowly passing moments without losing any of the inherent deadly drama still to be be played out before the prisoner might be able to relax at last. In other words psychological warfare as he's a top spy to be broken down bit by bit….

So if anyone can come up a suitable single word that retains the prolonged tension of this moment I'd be quite happy to use it.

If nothing else it's interesting….

 

[Skrej]

What about 'unclench'?

 

[Arcadian]

Thanks for your reply. I think for myself I associate the word unclench primarily with teeth....

 

[Roman55]

...or buttocks. How about slacken?

 

[jutfrank]

If you like untense, then why not use it? The meaning is very clear after all.

 

[Arcadian]

Thanks I see your point.

I feel it's important at this stage not to reduce the high tension already created so far whether physically, mentally or written on the prisoner as he still has no certain idea what fate awaits him, so slacken tends I feel to lessen the overall tautness, whereas I need to make the whole ongoing scene even more tense than ever.

However I think I might now be able to by-pass the problem....

"The prisoner's nerves now more taut and stretched than ever, suddenly remembering from his own dark and bloody interrogation days of what now must surely lie ahead for him too suddenly recoiled in horror wishing desperately they killed him now and have it done with. Slowly and surely cornering him as he had done to so many others in the past knowing he had all the time he wanted on his side and they hadn't, began sobbing bitterly thinking of his family who now would never ever see him again.

The gruesomely disfigured interrogation officer smiled to himself nodding to all the others in the room also watching through the darkened one way window as he saw the familiar breaking down signs appearing on their prized prisoner. Then quickly pulling off his facial mask hurried upstairs to fill in his report to his superiors knowing they would all be just as pleased as well that justice had finally been done at long, long last and that his own beloved son could now rest in peace for ever."

So a writer's block was the problem. Many thanks indeed for the new and different angles, though I do feel there now ought to be room for the word untense in the English language somewhere….