loose
See also: Loose
English
Etymology 1
From Middle English loos, los, lous, from Old Norse lauss, from Proto-Germanic *lausaz, whence also -less, leasing; from Proto-Indo-European *lewH-, *lū- (“to untie, set free, separate”), whence also lyo-, -lysis, via Ancient Greek.
Pronunciation
- enPR: loo͞s, IPA(key): /luːs/
Audio (US) (file) - Rhymes: -uːs
Verb
loose (third-person singular simple present looses, present participle loosing, simple past and past participle loosed)
- (transitive) To let loose, to free from restraints.
- (Can we date this quote?) Bible, Matthew xxi. 2
- Ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her; loose them, and bring them unto me.
- (Can we date this quote?) Bible, Matthew xxi. 2
- (transitive) To unfasten, to loosen.
- (transitive) To make less tight, to loosen.
- (intransitive) Of a grip or hold, to let go.
- (archery) to shoot (an arrow)
- (obsolete) To set sail.
- 1611: King James Bible, Acts 13:13
- Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.
- 1611: King James Bible, Acts 13:13
- (obsolete) To solve; to interpret.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Spenser to this entry?)
Synonyms
Antonyms
Translations
to let loose
|
to unfasten
|
to make less tight
to let go
Adjective
loose (comparative looser, superlative loosest)
- Not fixed in place tightly or firmly.
- This wheelbarrow has a loose wheel.
- Not held or packaged together.
- You can buy apples in a pack, but they are cheaper loose.
- Not under control.
- The dog is loose again.
- (Can we date this quote?) Addison
- Now I stand / Loose of my vow; but who knows Cato's thoughts?
- Not fitting closely
- I wear loose clothes when it is hot.
- Not compact.
- It is difficult walking on loose gravel.
- a cloth of loose texture
- (Can we date this quote?) John Milton
- with horse and chariots ranked in loose array
- Relaxed.
- She danced with a loose flowing movement.
- Not precise or exact; vague; indeterminate.
- a loose way of reasoning
- (Can we date this quote?) Whewell
- The comparison employed […] must be considered rather as a loose analogy than as an exact scientific explanation.
- Indiscreet.
- Loose talk costs lives.
- (somewhat dated) Free from moral restraint; immoral, unchaste.
- 1819, Lord Byron, Don Juan, I:
- In all these he was much and deeply read; / But not a page of any thing that's loose, / Or hints continuation of the species, / Was ever suffer'd, lest he should grow vicious.
- (Can we date this quote?) Spenser
- loose ladies in delight
- (Can we date this quote?) Sir Walter Scott
- the loose morality which he had learned
- 1819, Lord Byron, Don Juan, I:
- (not comparable, sports) Not being in the possession of any competing team during a game.
- He caught an elbow going after a loose ball.
- The puck was momentarily loose right in front of the net.
- 2011 September 28, Tom Rostance, “Arsenal 2 - 1 Olympiakos”, in BBC Sport:
- Tomas Rosicky released the left-back with a fine pass but his low cross was cut out by Ivan Marcano. However the Brazilian was able to collect the loose ball, cut inside and roll a right-footed effort past Franco Costanzo at his near post.
- (dated) Not costive; having lax bowels.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of John Locke to this entry?)
Synonyms
- (not fixed in place tightly or firmly): unfastened, unsecured; see also Thesaurus:loose
- (not held or packaged together): separate, unpackaged
- (not bound or tethered or leashed): free, untethered
- (not fitting closely): baggy; see also Thesaurus:loose-fitting
- (not compact): diffuse, spaced out; see also Thesaurus:diffuse
- (relaxed): loose-limbed, relaxed; see also Thesaurus:carefree
- (indiscreet): indiscreet
- (promiscuous): polygamous, promiscuous, slutty, tarty, whorish; see also Thesaurus:promiscuous
Antonyms
- (not fixed in place tightly or firmly): firm, tight; see also Thesaurus:tight
- (not held or packaged together): packaged
- (not bound or tethered or leashed): bound, leashed, tethered, tied, tied up
- (not fitting closely): close-fitting, snug, tight; see also Thesaurus:close-fitting
- (not compact): compact, firm; see also Thesaurus:compact
- (relaxed): tense, tensed
- (indiscreet): discreet
- (promiscuous): faithful, monogamous
Derived terms
Terms derived from the adjective loose
- break loose
- cast loose
- cut loose
- fast and loose
- loose lip
- on the loose
- stay loose
- turn loose
Translations
not fixed tightly
|
|
not packaged
not leashed — see unleashed
not fitting tightly
|
not compact
relaxed
indiscreet
|
promiscuous
|
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout#Translations.
Noun
loose (plural looses)
- (archery) The release of an arrow.
- (obsolete) A state of laxity or indulgence; unrestrained freedom, abandonment.
- (rugby) All play other than set pieces (scrums and line-outs).
- 2011, Tom Fordyce, Rugby World Cup 2011: England 12-19 France
- The defeat will leave manager Martin Johnson under pressure after his gamble of pairing Jonny Wilkinson and Toby Flood at 10 and 12 failed to ignite the England back line, while his forwards were repeatedly second best at the set-piece and in the loose.
- 2011, Tom Fordyce, Rugby World Cup 2011: England 12-19 France
- Freedom from restraint.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Prior to this entry?)
- (Can we date this quote?) Addison
- Vent all its griefs, and give a loose to sorrow.
- 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling. In Six Volumes, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: Printed by A[ndrew] Millar, […], OCLC 928184292:
- The doctor now interposed, and prevented the effects of a wrath which was kindling between Jones and Thwackum; after which the former gave a loose to mirth, sang two or three amorous songs, and fell into every frantic disorder which unbridled joy is apt to inspire […]
- A letting go; discharge.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Ben Jonson to this entry?)
Derived terms
Antonyms
- (archery: begin shooting): fast
Translations
archery: begin shooting
|
Etymology 2
Derived terms
French
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