To reduce pressure or stress, either physically by releasing air/pressure from something or mentally by relaxing and relieving tension.
From Latin 'de-' (reverse) + 'comprimere' (to press together). First used in its physical sense in the 1600s for releasing pressure; the psychological meaning became common in the 1900s as people used it metaphorically for stress relief.
Scuba divers must 'decompress' by ascending slowly—their bodies actually need time to adjust to pressure changes, or nitrogen bubbles form in their blood. The metaphorical use for mental stress relief borrowed this urgent, life-saving concept to describe something equally important: letting go of psychological pressure.
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