Jora'h felt a slight loosening of the tight responsibilities that clamped around his heart.

After 10 . . . Qe7 11 Bg5 f6, he had brought about a slight loosening of the black pawns on the kingside, but how could that be exploited?

I felt a slight loosening of the noose.

The presidency of Barack Obama has seen a slight loosening in travel restrictions between the two countries.

The only question raised by this performance, with a few difficulties in the big two-fisted second movement and a slight loosening of grip at the end of the third, was one of stamina.

The release in late 2008 of several opposition activists prompted a slight loosening of EU and US sanctions, and tentative talk of a thaw in relations with the West.

Some dissidents said that Mrs. Robinson's visit as well as a slight loosening of official policy had already helped their cause.

There was a slight loosening at the bottom of each exhalation.

Bans were lifted on the sale of jukeboxes and the screening of films with nudity and extreme violence, and there was a slight but perceptible loosening of political debate.

The official approval of Dimitar Dimov's novel Tobacco marked a slight loosening of Party control over cultural activities.