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loose - 9 dictionary results
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loose

  [loos] adjective, loos⋅er, loos⋅est, adverb, verb loosed, loos⋅ing.
Use loose in a Sentence
–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.
–verb (used with object)
20. to let loose; free from bonds or restraint.
21. to release, as from constraint, obligation, or penalty.
22. Chiefly Nautical. to set free from fastening or attachment: to loose a boat from its moorings.
23. to unfasten, undo, or untie, as a bond, fetter, or knot.
24. to shoot; discharge; let fly: to loose missiles at the invaders.
25. to make less tight; slacken or relax.
26. to render less firmly fixed; lessen an attachment; loosen.
–verb (used without object)
27. to let go a hold.
28. to hoist anchor; get under way.
29. to shoot or let fly an arrow, bullet, etc. (often fol. by off): to loose off at a flock of ducks.
30. Obsolete. to become loose; loosen.
—Idioms
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 or 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.
36. on the loose,
a. free; unconfined, as, esp., an escaped convict or circus animal.
b. behaving in an unrestrained or dissolute way: a bachelor on the loose.
37. turn loose, to release or free, as from confinement: The teacher turned the children loose after the class.
Origin:
1175–1225; (adj.) ME los, loos < ON lauss loose, free, empty; c. OE lēas (see -less ), D, G los loose, free; (v.) ME leowsen, lousen, deriv. of the adj.

Related forms:
loosely, adverb
looseness, noun

Synonyms:
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.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To loose
loose   (lōōs)   
adj.   loos·er, loos·est
  1. Not fastened, restrained, or contained: loose bricks.
  2. Not taut, fixed, or rigid: a loose anchor line; a loose chair leg.
  3. Free from confinement or imprisonment; unfettered: criminals loose in the neighborhood; dogs that are loose on the streets.
  4. Not tight-fitting or tightly fitted: loose shoes.
  5. Not bound, bundled, stapled, or gathered together: loose papers.
  6. Not compact or dense in arrangement or structure: loose gravel.
  7. Lacking a sense of restraint or responsibility; idle: loose talk.
  8. Not formal; relaxed: a loose atmosphere at the club.
  9. Lacking conventional moral restraint in sexual behavior.
  10. Not literal or exact: a loose translation.
  11. Characterized by a free movement of fluids in the body: a loose cough; loose bowels.
adv.  In a loose manner.
v.   loosed, loos·ing, loos·es

v.   tr.
  1. To let loose; release: loosed the dogs.
  2. To make loose; undo: loosed his belt.
  3. To cast loose; detach: hikers loosing their packs at camp.
  4. To let fly; discharge: loosed an arrow.
  5. To release pressure or obligation from; absolve: loosed her from the responsibility.
  6. To make less strict; relax: a leader's strong authority that was loosed by easy times.
v.   intr.
  1. To become loose.
  2. To discharge a missile; fire.

[Middle English louse, los, from Old Norse lauss; see leu- in Indo-European roots.]
loose'ly adv., loose'ness n.
Synonyms: These adjectives mean not tautly bound, held, or fastened: loose reins; a lax rope; slack sails.
Antonym: tight
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Loose

Loose\, a. [Compar. Looser; superl. Loosest.] [OE. loos, lous, laus, Icel. lauss; akin to OD. loos, D. los, AS. le['a]s false, deceitful, G. los, loose, Dan. & Sw. l["o]s, Goth. laus, and E. lose. ? See Lose, and cf. Leasing falsehood.]

1. Unbound; untied; unsewed; not attached, fastened, fixed, or confined; as, the loose sheets of a book.

Her hair, nor loose, nor tied in formal plat. --Shak.

2. Free from constraint or obligation; not bound by duty, habit, etc.; -- with from or of.

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

3. Not tight or close; as, a loose garment.

4. Not dense, close, compact, or crowded; as, a cloth of loose texture.

With horse and chariots ranked in loose array. --Milton.

5. Not precise or exact; vague; indeterminate; as, a loose style, or way of reasoning.

The comparison employed . . . must be considered rather as a loose analogy than as an exact scientific explanation. --Whewel.

6. Not strict in matters of morality; not rigid according to some standard of right.

The loose morality which he had learned. --Sir W. Scott.

7. Unconnected; rambling.

Vario spends whole mornings in running over loose and unconnected pages. --I. Watts.

8. Lax; not costive; having lax bowels. --Locke.

9. Dissolute; unchaste; as, a loose man or woman.

Loose ladies in delight. --Spenser.

10. Containing or consisting of obscene or unchaste language; as, a loose epistle. -- Dryden.

At loose ends, not in order; in confusion; carelessly managed.

Fast and loose. See under Fast.

To break loose. See under Break.

Loose pulley. (Mach.) See Fast and loose pulleys, under Fast.

To let loose, to free from restraint or confinement; to set at liberty.

Loose

Loose\, n. 1. Freedom from restraint. [Obs.] --Prior.

2. A letting go; discharge. --B. Jonson.

To give a loose, to give freedom.

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

Loose

Loose\, v. n. [imp. & p. p. Loosed; p. pr. & vb. n. Loosing.] [From Loose, a.]

1. To untie or unbind; to free from any fastening; to remove the shackles or fastenings of; to set free; to relieve.

Canst thou . . . loose the bands of Orion ? --Job. xxxviii. 31.

Ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her; loose them, and bring them unto me. --Matt. xxi. 2.

2. To release from anything obligatory or burdensome; to disengage; hence, to absolve; to remit.

Art thou loosed from a wife ? seek not a wife. --1 Cor. vii. 27.

Whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. --Matt. xvi. 19.

3. To relax; to loosen; to make less strict.

The joints of his loins were loosed. --Dan. v. 6.

4. To solve; to interpret. [Obs.] --Spenser.

Loose

Loose\, v. i. To set sail. [Obs.] --Acts xiii. 13.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : loose
Spanish: flojo,
German: lose,
Japanese: ゆったりした
More Translations »

loose  (adj.)
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 c.1225, "to set free." Sense of "unchaste, immoral" is recorded from c.1470. Figurative loose cannon first recorded 1977.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Main Entry: loose
Pronunciation: 'lüs
Function: adjective
Inflected Forms: loos·er; loos·est
1 a : not rigidlyfastened or securely attached b (1) : having worked partly free from attachments loose tooth> (2) : having relative freedom of movement c : produced freely and accompanied by raising of mucus loose cough>
2 : not dense, close, or compact in structure or arrangement <loose connective tissue>
3 : lacking in restraint or power of restraint <loose bowels>
4 : not tightly drawn or stretched —loose·ly adverb —loose·ness noun
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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loose

In addition to the idioms beginning with loose, also see at loose ends; break loose; cast loose; cut loose; footloose and fancy-free; hang loose; have a screw loose; on the loose; play fast and loose.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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