lighten up

[ˈlaɪtn ʌp]

verb (phrasal)

relaxar, descontrair

1. To become less serious, worried, or tense; to stop being so strict or demanding

You need to lighten up and have some fun for once.

Você precisa descontrair e se divertir um pouco.

2. To reduce the weight or load of something

Lighten up your backpack by removing unnecessary items.

Alivie seu mochila removendo itens desnecessários.

3. To make something less heavy or burdensome

Her jokes helped lighten up the mood in the room.

Suas piadas ajudaram a descontrair o clima na sala.

NYC Slang

chill, chill out, relax

Synonyms

Antonyms

Regional Variations

General Brazilian

descontrair, relaxar

Most common usage in everyday conversation

Rio de Janeiro

descontrair, ficar tranquilo

Frequent use in casual speech

São Paulo

relaxar, soltar a mão

Business and professional contexts

Portugal

descontrair, aliviar a tensão

Similar usage to Brazilian Portuguese

don't take it so seriously

keep a light heart

ease the burden

break the tension

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