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To me (a native English speaker in my mid-40s, raised in the western
and midwestern US), the idiom "to let one's hair down" has the senses
that Dick mentioned: "relax and be yourself, casual, no airs or cover
up." I <i>could</i> understand it as "drop one's reserve and
inhibitions" <i>only if</i> I assumed that the person's reserve and
inhibitions were due to what other people would think of him/her (thus
it would be an extension of the "relax and be yourself, casual, no airs
or cover up" sense.) I can't think of any context where I would
understand "to let one's hair down" with the sense "to say be frank, to
say what is on your mind, to speak from one's heart." (To communicate
this, I could explicitly say "Let your hair down. Say what you really
think.")<br>
<br>
Since Fritz's original question was about "how anglophones (from
different parts of the world)" use the idiom, I'd find it interesting
to know where these other senses are used. (And if they are used in
the western and/or midwestern US, I'd be interested in knowing the age
of the speaker.)<br>
<br>
Shelley Dufoe <br>
<br>
John Roberts wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid48011613.50005@sil.org" type="cite">
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It can also mean to drop one's reserve and inhibitions.<br>
<br>
John Roberts</blockquote>
<br>
Hayim Sheynin wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid608297.74809.qm@web65413.mail.ac4.yahoo.com"
type="cite">
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</style>There is also another meaning to this idiom, a figurative
one, to say be frank, to say what is on your mind, to speak from one's
heart.<br>
<br>
Hayim Y. Sheynin<br>
<br>
<b><i><a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:dick_watson@sil.org">dick_watson@sil.org</a></i></b> wrote:
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<div> <br>
<font face="sans-serif" size="2">From western US: relax and be
yourself, casual, no airs or cover up. Literally, I visualize a lady
with fancy hairdo, letting it all out, au natural.</font> <br>
<font face="sans-serif" size="2">Dick</font> <br>
<br>
<font face="sans-serif" size="1"><b>"Fritz Goerling"
<Fritz_Goerling@<wbr>sil.org></b></font> </div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">I am interested to learn how
anglophones (from different parts of the world) use the idiom "to let
one's hair down." </font> </div>
<div><font face="Arial" size="2">Fritz Goerling</font> </div>
</div>
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