lose the thread

verb

To get distracted and lose track of something (one's train of thought, a conversation).

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Meanings

verblose the thread (third-person singular simple present loses the thread, present participle losing the thread, simple past and past participle lost the thread)

present singular third person loses the thread · participle present losing the thread · participle past lost the thread · past lost the thread

  1. figurativelyTo get distracted and lose track of something (one's train of thought, a conversation).

Translations

Dutch de draad kwijt zijn
  • de draad kwijt zijnTranslations
Finnish pudota kärryiltä
  • pudota kärryiltäTranslations
French perdre le fil
  • perdre le filTranslations
German den Faden verlieren
  • den Faden verlierenTranslations
Hungarian elveszti a fonalat
  • elveszti a fonalatTranslations
Italian perdere il filo
  • perdere il filoTranslations
Polish gubić wątek, zgubić wątek
  • gubić wątekTranslations
  • zgubić wątekTranslations
Portuguese perder o fio
  • perder o fioTranslations
Russian теря́ть нить, потеря́ть нить
  • теря́ть нить (terjátʹ nitʹ)Translations
  • потеря́ть нить (poterjátʹ nitʹ)Translations
Spanish perder el hilo
  • perder el hiloTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

lose the thread. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lose%20the%20thread

MLA

“lose the thread.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lose%20the%20thread. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “lose the thread,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lose%20the%20thread.

Source: lose the thread on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.