louse

[ noun lous; verb lous, louz ]
See synonyms for louse on Thesaurus.com
noun,plural lice [lahys] /laɪs/ for 1-3, lous·es for 4.
  1. any small, wingless insect of the order Anoplura (sucking louse ), parasitic on humans and other mammals and having mouthparts adapted for sucking, as Pediculus humanus humanus(body louse ) or Pediculus humanus capitis(head louse ) and Phthirius pubis(crab louse, or pubic louse ).

  2. any insect of the order Mallophaga (bird louse, biting louse, or chewing louse ), parasitic on birds and mammals, having mouthparts adapted for biting.

  1. Slang. a contemptible person, especially an unethical one.

verb (used with object),loused, lous·ing.
  1. to delouse.

Verb Phrases
  1. louse up, Slang. to spoil; botch: Miscasting loused up the movie.

Origin of louse

1
First recorded before 900; 1910–15 for def. 4; Middle English lous(e), luse, plural lise, lice; Old English lūs, plural lȳs; cognate with Dutch luis, German Laus, Old Norse lūs

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use louse in a sentence

  • My main trouble was in lousing you up just a little bit, not enough to make you suspect anything.

    Sentiment, Inc. | Poul William Anderson
  • We were "verloust," and would be introduced to a de-lousing machine the next day.

    The Escaping Club | A. J. Evans
  • In Thrums the weavers spoke of "lousing" from their looms, removing the chains, and there is something woeful in that.

    A Window in Thrums | J. M. Barrie
  • You are unsatisfied with it, because—uh—your peculiar talent is lousing up your profession.

    The Animated Pinup | Lewis Parker
  • When he gets back home, he's really going to catch hell for lousing up the works.

    The Great Gray Plague | Raymond F. Jones

British Dictionary definitions for louse

louse

/ (laʊs) /


nounplural lice (laɪs)
  1. any wingless bloodsucking insect of the order Anoplura: includes Pediculus capitis (head louse), Pediculus corporis (body louse), and the crab louse, all of which infest man: Related adjective: pedicular

  2. biting louse or bird louse any wingless insect of the order Mallophaga, such as the chicken louse: external parasites of birds and mammals with biting mouthparts

  1. any of various similar but unrelated insects, such as the plant louse and book louse

  2. plural louses slang an unpleasant or mean person

verb(tr)
  1. to remove lice from

  2. (foll by up) slang to ruin or spoil

Origin of louse

1
Old English lūs; related to Old High German, Old Norse lūs

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012