break loose
adjective
1.
free or released from fastening or attachment: a loose end.
2.
free from anything that binds or restrains; unfettered: loose cats prowling around in alleyways at night.
3.
uncombined, as a chemical element.
4.
not bound together: to wear one's hair loose.
5.
not put up in a package or other container: loose mushrooms.
6.
available for disposal; unused; unappropriated: loose funds.
7.
lacking in reticence or power of restraint: a loose tongue.
8.
lax, as the bowels.
9.
lacking moral restraint or integrity; notorious for his loose character.
10.
sexually promiscuous or immoral; unchaste.
11.
not firm, taut, or rigid: a loose tooth; a loose rein.
12.
relaxed or limber in nature: He runs with a loose, open stride.
13.
not fitting closely or tightly: a loose sweater.
14.
not close or compact in structure or arrangement; having spaces between the parts; open: a loose weave.
15.
having few restraining factors between associated constituents and allowing ample freedom for independent action: a loose federation of city-states.
16.
not cohering: loose sand.
17.
not strict, exact, or precise: a loose interpretation of the law.
18.
Sports.
a.
having the players on a team positioned at fairly wide intervals, as in a football formation.
b.
(of a ball, hockey puck, etc.) not in the possession of either team; out of player control.
adverb
19.
in a loose manner; loosely (usually used in combination): loose-flowing.
00:10
Break loose
is always a great word to know.
So is ninnyhammer. Does it mean:
| a fool or simpleton; ninny. |
| a printed punctuation mark (‽), available only in some typefaces, designed to combine the question mark (?) and the exclamation point (!), indicating a mixture of query and interjection, as after a rhetorical question. |
verb (used with object)
20.
to let loose; free from bonds or restraint.
21.
to release, as from constraint, obligation, or penalty.
22.
23.
to unfasten, undo, or untie, as a bond, fetter, or knot.
24.
to shoot; discharge; let fly: to loose missiles at the invaders.
verb (used without object)
Idioms 27.
to let go a hold.
28.
to hoist anchor; get under way.
29.
to shoot or let fly an arrow, bullet, etc. (often followed by off ): to loose off at a flock of ducks.
30.
Obsolete. to become loose; loosen.
31.
break loose, to free oneself; escape: The convicts broke loose.
32.
cast loose,
a.
to loosen or unfasten, as a ship from a mooring.
b.
to send forth; set adrift or free: He was cast loose at an early age to make his own way in the world.
33.
cut loose,
a.
to release from domination or control.
b.
to become free, independent, etc.
c.
to revel without restraint: After the rodeo they headed into town to cut loose.
34.
hang/stay loose, Slang. to remain relaxed and unperturbed.
35.
let loose,
a.
to free or become free.
b.
to yield; give way: The guardrail let loose and we very nearly plunged over the edge.
Origin:
1175–1225; (adj.) Middle English los, loos < Old Norse lauss loose, free, empty; cognate with Old English lēas (see -less), Dutch, German los loose, free; (v.) Middle English leowsen, lousen, derivative of the adj.
1175–1225; (adj.) Middle English los, loos < Old Norse lauss loose, free, empty; cognate with Old English lēas (see -less), Dutch, German los loose, free; (v.) Middle English leowsen, lousen, derivative of the adj.
Related forms
loose·ly, adverb
loose·ness, noun
o·ver·loose, adjective
o·ver·loose·ly, adverb
o·ver·loose·ness, noun
Synonyms
2. unbound, untied, unrestricted, unconfined. 10. libertine, dissolute, licentious. 17. vague, general, indefinite. 20. loosen, unbind. 21. liberate. 25. ease.
2. unbound, untied, unrestricted, unconfined. 10. libertine, dissolute, licentious. 17. vague, general, indefinite. 20. loosen, unbind. 21. liberate. 25. ease.
Antonyms
1. bound. 10. chaste. 25. tighten.
1. bound. 10. chaste. 25. tighten.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To break loose
Collins
World English Dictionary
loose (luːs) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —adj | |
| 1. | free or released from confinement or restraint |
| 2. | not close, compact, or tight in structure or arrangement |
| 3. | not fitted or fitting closely: loose clothing is cooler |
| 4. | not bundled, packaged, fastened, or put in a container: loose nails |
| 5. | inexact; imprecise: a loose translation |
| 6. | (of funds, cash, etc) not allocated or locked away; readily available |
| 7. | a. (esp of women) promiscuous or easy |
| b. (of attitudes, ways of life, etc) immoral or dissolute | |
| 8. | lacking a sense of responsibility or propriety: loose talk |
| 9. | a. (of the bowels) emptying easily, esp excessively; lax |
| b. (of a cough) accompanied by phlegm, mucus, etc | |
| 10. | (of a dye or dyed article) fading as a result of washing; not fast |
| 11. | informal chiefly (US), (Canadian) very relaxed; easy |
| —n | |
| 12. | rugby the loose See scrum the part of play when the forwards close round the ball in a ruck or loose scrum |
| 13. | on the loose |
| a. free from confinement or restraint | |
| b. informal on a spree | |
| —adv | |
| 14. | a. in a loose manner; loosely |
| b. (in combination): loose-fitting | |
| 15. | informal chiefly (US) hang loose to behave in a relaxed, easy fashion |
| —vb (when intr, | |
| 16. | (tr) to set free or release, as from confinement, restraint, or obligation |
| 17. | (tr) to unfasten or untie |
| 18. | to make or become less strict, tight, firmly attached, compact, etc |
| 19. | to let fly (a bullet, arrow, or other missile) |
| [C13 (in the sense: not bound): from Old Norse lauss free; related to Old English lēas free from, | |
| 'loosely | |
| —adv | |
| 'looseness | |
| —n | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
loose
c.1300, from O.N. lauss "loose, free, vacant, dissolute," cognate with O.E. leas "devoid of, false, feigned, incorrect," from P.Gmc. *lausaz (cf. Dan. løs "loose, untied," M.Du., Ger. los, Goth. laus), from PIE *lau-/*leu- "to loosen, divide, cut apart" (see lose). The
verb is first recorded early 13c., "to set free." Sense of "unchaste, immoral" is recorded from late 15c. Figurative sense of loose cannon was in use by mid-20c.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Slang Dictionary
loose definition
|
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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American Heritage
Idioms & Phrases
break loose
Escape from restraint, as in The boat broke loose from its moorings, or He finally broke loose from the school of abstract expressionism. This expression also appears in all hell breaks loose, which indicates a state of fury or chaos, as in When Dad finds out you broke his watch, all hell will break loose, or When the children saw the dead pigeon in the hall, all hell broke loose. [Early 1400s]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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