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Share This loos·en Audio Help / ˈlu / Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation [ loo -suh ] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation –verb (used with object) 1. to unfasten or undo, as a bond or fetter.
2. to make less tight; slacken or relax: to loosen one's grasp.
3. to make less firmly fixed in place: to loosen a tooth.
4. to let loose or set free from bonds, restraint, or constraint.
5. to make less close or compact in structure or arrangement.
6. to make less dense or coherent: to loosen the soil in a garden.
7. to relax in strictness or severity, as restraint or discipline: to loosen restrictions on trade.
8. to relieve (the bowels) of their constipated condition.
–verb (used without object) 9. to become loose or looser (sometimes fol. by up ): His hold loosened. Your shoes will loosen up with wear.
[Origin:
1350–1400; ME
loosnen. See loose , -en 1 ]
—Related forms loos·en·er, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
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American Heritage Dictionary -
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Audio Help (lōō'sən) Pronunciation Key
loos·ened , loos·en·ing , loos·ens
tr.
To untie or make looser.
To free from restraint, pressure, or strictness.
To free (the bowels) from constipation.
intr.
lousnen, losnen , from losen , from los , loose ; see loose
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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
WordNet -
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Share This loosen verb 1. make loose or looser; "loosen the tension on a rope" [ant: stiffen ] 2. make less severe or strict; "The government relaxed the curfew after most of the rebels were caught" [syn: relax ] 3. become less severe or strict; "The rules relaxed after the new director arrived" [syn: relax ] 4. disentangle and raise the fibers of; "tease wool" [syn: tease ] 5. cause to become loose; "undo the shoelace"; "untie the knot"; "loosen the necktie" [syn: untie ] 6. make less dense; "loosen the soil" 7. become loose or looser or less tight; "The noose loosened"; "the rope relaxed" [ant: stiffen ]
WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary -
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Share This ˈloosen 1 verb
to make or become loose
Example:
She loosened the string; The screw had loosened and fallen out.
Arabic: يَفُك، يُرْخي Chinese (Simplified): 解开 Chinese (Traditional): 解開 Czech: uvolnit (se) Danish: løsne; løsne sig Dutch: losser maken, losgaan Estonian: lõdvenema, lõdvendama, lahti pääsema Finnish: löysätä, höltyä French: (se) desserrer German: (sich )lösen Greek: χαλαρώνω κτ., γίνομαι πιο χαλαρός Hungarian: kibont; kioldódik, meglazul Icelandic: losna; losa, leysa Indonesian: melepaskan Italian: allentare, slacciare
Japanese: ゆるくする Korean: 풀다; 풀리다 Latvian: kļūt vaļīgam; atraisīt Lithuanian: at(si)palaiduoti, at(si)leisti Norwegian: løsne, løse på Polish: poluźnić, obluzować się Portuguese (Brazil): afrouxar Portuguese (Portugal): afrouxar Romanian: a (se) desface Russian: ослаблять(ся) Slovak: uvoľniť (sa) Slovenian: popustiti Spanish: desatar Swedish: lossa , lossna Turkish: gevşe(t)mek
ˈloosen 2 verb
to relax (eg a hold)
Example:
He loosened his grip.
Arabic: يُخَفَّف قَبْضَتَه، يُرخي Chinese (Simplified): 松开 Chinese (Traditional): 鬆開 Czech: povolit Danish: løsne Dutch: verslappen Estonian: lõdvendama Finnish: hellittää French: relâcher German: lockern Greek: χαλαρώνω, ξεσφίγγω Hungarian: meglazít; lazul, oldódik Icelandic: losa Indonesian: melonggarkan Italian: allentare
Japanese: ゆるめる Korean: 느슨하게 하다; 느슨해지다 Latvian: atlaist vaļīgāk; atslābināt Lithuanian: susilpninti, sumažinti Norwegian: slakke på, løse opp Polish: rozluźniać Portuguese (Brazil): afrouxar Portuguese (Portugal): afrouxar Romanian: a slăbi (strânsoarea) Russian: ослаблять Slovak: povoliť Slovenian: zrahljati Spanish: aflojar Swedish: lossa , släppa efter på Turkish: gevşetmek
See also: break loose ,
loose-leaf ,
let loose ,
loose ,
"loosen" in any language Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary, © 2000-2006 K Dictionaries Ltd.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary -
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Loos"en\, v. t. [imp. & p. p.
Loosened ; p. pr. & vb. n.
Loosening .] [See
Loose , v. t.]
1. To make loose; to free from tightness, tension, firmness, or fixedness; to make less dense or compact; as, to loosen a string, or a knot; to loosen a rock in the earth.
After a year's rooting, then shaking doth the tree good by loosening of the earth. --Bacon.
2. To free from restraint; to set at liberty..
It loosens his hands, and assists his understanding. --Dryden.
3. To remove costiveness from; to facilitate or increase the alvine discharges of. --Bacon.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary -
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Loos"en\, v. i. To become loose; to become less tight, firm, or compact. --S. Sharp.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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