← Back to Fala2Me

loosen defense

[ˈluːsən dɪˈfɛns]
verb phrase
afrouxar a defesa
1. To reduce the intensity, strictness, or effectiveness of defensive measures, strategies, or personnel
The team decided to loosen defense to focus on offensive plays.
O time decidiu afrouxar a defesa para focar em jogadas ofensivas.
2. To make defensive positions, restrictions, or controls less rigid or controlling
The coach will loosen defense in the second half to pressure their offense.
O técnico vai afrouxar a defesa no segundo tempo para pressionar o ataque deles.
Synonyms
relax defenseweaken defenseease defensereduce defensive pressure
Antonyms
tighten defensestrengthen defenseintensify defenseharden defense

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
afrouxar a defesa
Standard usage in Brazilian sports commentary
Rio de Janeiro
soltar a defesa
Colloquial variant commonly used in Rio
São Paulo
afrouxar a defesa
Standard usage in São Paulo sports
Portugal
afrouxar a defesa
Standard European Portuguese usage

Related Idioms & Phrases

drop the defense
let down one's guard
ease up on defense
Look up more words on Fala2Me
The free English-Portuguese dictionary with real Brazilian accents, NYC slang, conjugator and more
Open Fala2Me →