laxity

IPA/ˈlæksəti/
KK[lˈæksəti]IPA/ˈlæksəti/

laxity — noun

1. a way of behaving in which a person does not put enough effort, care, or attenti

1.名詞B2
釋義

a way of behaving in which a person does not put enough effort, care, or attention into what they are doing, often leading to mistakes or problems

例句

The security guard's laxity allowed a stranger to walk into the office building without being checked.

laxity + allowed + negative consequence

Sumin's manager warned her about laxity in her work after she missed three deadlines.

laxity in + noun phrase (work)

同義詞
  • negligence

    stronger, often implies legal or professional duty has been ignored

  • carelessness

    more general and less formal; can refer to small everyday mistakes

  • slackness

    informal; suggests laziness or a lack of effort

反義詞

文法句型

laxity + in + noun phrase / gerund

用法筆記

Frequently used with the preposition 'in' followed by a noun or gerund describing the area where care is lacking — e.g., laxity in enforcement, laxity in reporting.

常見錯誤

❌The laxity manager didn't check the reports.
✅The manager's laxity meant the reports were not checked properly.
💡'laxity' is a noun; the adjective form 'lax' is used before a noun ('a lax manager').

2. a situation in which rules, laws, or standards are too weak or are not applied s

2.名詞B2
釋義

a situation in which rules, laws, or standards are too weak or are not applied strictly enough, allowing problems or bad behaviour to continue

例句

Environmental groups criticised the government's laxity towards companies that polluted rivers.

laxity towards + noun phrase (companies)

The report blamed the accident on laxity in safety regulations at the factory.

laxity in + noun phrase (safety regulations)

同義詞
  • leniency

    can be neutral or positive; laxity always implies something negative

  • permissiveness

    focuses on allowing behaviour that should be restricted

  • indulgence

    implies giving in too easily to others' wishes

反義詞
  • strictness

    insisting on rules being followed exactly

  • rigour

    thorough and strict enforcement

文法句型

laxity + in + noun phrase

laxity + towards + noun phrase

用法筆記

Common in political, legal, and regulatory contexts. Often used with 'towards' (laxity towards offenders) or 'in' (laxity in enforcement). Subject is typically an authority or institution.

常見錯誤

❌The laxity of the rope worried the climbers.' (when meaning physical looseness)
✅The laxity of the safety checks worried the inspectors.
💡for physical looseness of objects, use sense 3 (PHYSICAL LOOSENESS).

3. the physical condition of being not tight, firm, or hard, especially referring t

3.名詞C1
釋義

the physical condition of being not tight, firm, or hard, especially referring to body tissues such as skin, muscles, or ligaments

例句

The cream helped reduce the laxity of the skin around Léa's elbows.

laxity of + noun phrase (skin)

After the illness, Folake noticed a troubling laxity in the muscles of her legs.

同義詞
  • looseness

    more general, less clinical in tone

  • slackness

    can be physical (a slack rope) but less common in medical writing

  • flaccidity

    medical term; specifically describes soft, weak tissue

反義詞

文法句型

laxity + of + noun phrase (body part/tissue)

用法筆記

Used primarily in medical or anatomical contexts. Distinguish from sense 1 (CARELESS BEHAVIOUR) and sense 2 (LENIENT STANDARDS), which refer to non-physical situations.

常見錯誤

❌The boss criticised the laxity of the team's work.' (when meaning careless work)
✅The cream reduced the laxity of the skin on her hands.
💡for the physical meaning, the subject must be a body part or tissue, not an abstract concept.