loose

present singular third person looses · participle present loosing · participle past loosed · past loosed

1. transitiveTo let loose, to free from restraints.

   Ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her; loose them, and bring them unto me.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 21:2

   2 more examples

   And it was Thora, the little Dwarf's wife, The five rune-books she took out; So she loosed him fully out of the runes, Her daughter had bound him about.

   1828, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology, volume I, London: William Harrison Ainsworth, page 167

   "Ay, and one was nigh to being slain by the hot-pot to be eaten of those brutes, thy children, and had not the others fought gallantly they too had been slain, and not even I could have called back the life which had been loosed from the body."

   1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, She: A History of Adventure, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., published 1887, →OCLC

   Synonyms: free, release

2. transitiveTo unfasten, to loosen.

   Synonyms: loosen, unbind, undo, unfasten, untie

3. transitiveTo make less tight, to loosen.

   Synonyms: loosen, relax, slacken

4. intransitiveOf a grip or hold, to let go.

   Synonyms: let go, release

5. archeryTo shoot (an arrow).
6. obsoleteTo set sail.

   Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Acts 13:13

7. obsoleteTo solve; to interpret.

   he had red her riddle, which no wight Could ever loose

   1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book V, Canto XI”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC

comparative looser · superlative loosest

1. Not fixed in place tightly or firmly.

   This wheelbarrow has a loose wheel.

   Synonyms: unfastened, free, untethered

2. Not held or packaged together.

   You can buy apples in a pack, but they are cheaper loose.

   Synonyms: separate, unpackaged

3. Not under control.

   The dog is loose again.

   2 more examples

   The very idea of a machine set loose to slaughter is chilling.

   2020 October 15, Frank Pasquale, “‘Machines set loose to slaughter’: the dangerous rise of military AI”, in The Guardian

   Now I stand / Loose of my vow; but who knows Cato's thoughts?

   1712 (date written), [Joseph] Addison, Cato, a Tragedy. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], published 1713, →OCLC, Act V, scene i, page 59

4. Not fitting closely.

   I wear loose clothes when it is hot.

   Synonyms: baggy

5. Not compact.

   a cloth of loose texture

   2 more examples

   It is difficult walking on loose gravel.

   with horse and chariots ranked in loose array

   1667, John Milton, “Book II”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC

   Synonyms: diffuse

6. Relaxed.

   She danced with a loose flowing movement.

   Synonyms: loose-limbed

7. Not precise or exact; vague; indeterminate.

   a loose way of reasoning

   1 more example

   The comparison employed […] must be considered rather as a loose analogy than as an exact scientific explanation.

   1858, William Whewell, The history of scientific ideas

8. Indiscreet.

   Loose talk costs lives.

   Synonyms: indiscreet

9. datedFree from moral restraint; immoral, unchaste.

   the loose morality which he had learned

   1826, [Walter Scott], Woodstock; Or, The Cavalier. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green, →OCLC

   2 more examples

   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.

   1819, Lord Byron, Don Juan, section I

   to seeke her errant Knight; / And then againe resolu'd to hunt him out / Amongst loose Ladies, lapped in delight

   1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book V, Canto VI”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 5

   Synonyms: promiscuous

10. not comparablehobbiesNot being in the possession of any competing team during a game.

    He caught an elbow going after a loose ball.

    2 more examples

    The puck was momentarily loose right in front of the net.

    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.

    2011 September 28, Tom Rostance, “Arsenal 2 - 1 Olympiakos”, in BBC Sport

11. datedNot costive; having lax bowels, diarrheic.

    People that are very loose, have seldom strong Thoughts, or strong Bodies

    1693, [John Locke], “(please specify the section number)”, in Some Thoughts Concerning Education, London: […] A[wnsham] and J[ohn] Churchill, […], →OCLC

12. Measured loosely stacked or disorganized (such as of firewood).
13. USslanghobbiesHaving oversteer.

plural looses

1. archeryThe release of an arrow.

   In throwing a Dart, or Iavelin, wee force back our armes, to make our loose the stronger.

   1641, Ben Jonson, Discoveries Made upon Men and Matter

2. obsoleteA state of laxity or indulgence; unrestrained freedom, abandonment.

   They give a loose to their feelings on proper occasions.

   1847 January – 1848 July, William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair […], London: Bradbury and Evans […], published 1848, →OCLC

3. ball gamesAll play other than set pieces (scrums and line-outs).

   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

4. Freedom from restraint.

   Vent all its griefs, and give a loose to sorrow.

   1712 (date written), [Joseph] Addison, Cato, a Tragedy. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], published 1713, →OCLC, Act IV, scene i, page 45

   1 more example

   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 […]

   1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC

5. A letting go; discharge.

1. archerybegin shooting; release your arrows

present singular third person looses · participle present loosing · participle past loosed · past loosed

1. obsoleteObsolete form of lose.

   And now I feare that fatall Prophecie, / Which in the time of Henry, nam'd the Fift, / Was in the mouth of euery ſucking Babe, / That Henry borne at Monmouth ſhould winne all, / And Henry borne at Windſor, looſe all: […]

   1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Sixt”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i], page 107, column 1

   2 more examples

   [W]e went to the Chetto de san Felice, to see the noblemen and their ladies at Basset, a game at cards which is much used, but they play not in public, and all that have inclination to it are in masquerade, without speaking one word, and so they come in, play, loose or gaine, and go away as they please.

   1645 June, John Evelyn, “[Diary entry for June 1645]”, in William Bray, editor, Memoirs, Illustrative of the Life and Writings of John Evelyn, […], 2nd edition, volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […]; and sold by John and Arthur Arch, […], published 1819, →OCLC, pages 191–192

   And ſince the Law would not ſuſtain Action for it, at the gainers inſtance againſt the Debitor who looſed it, much leſſe ſhould it ſuſtain a Diſpoſition for payment of it againſt the Creditors, and yet this may be ſaid to be an onerous cauſe; for the looſer hazarded as much of his own, againſt what he gained, and ſo this Game was but the return of his Money: […]

   1675, George Mᶜkenzie of Rosehaugh, “Without just”, in Observations upon the 28. Act, 23. Parl. K. James VI. against Dispositions Made in Defraud of Creditors, &c., Edinburgh: […] His Majesties Printers, page 89

2. misspellingMisspelling of lose.

   I'm going to loose this game.

plural Looses

1. A surname.