loose

See also: Loose

English

Etymology 1

From Middle English loos, los, lous, from Old Norse lauss, from Proto-Germanic *lausaz, whence also -less, leasing; from Proto-Indo-European *lewH-, *lū- (“to untie, set free, separate”), whence also lyo-, -lysis, via Ancient Greek.

Pronunciation

enPR: lo͞os, IPA^(key): /luːs/
Audio (US) (file)
Rhymes: -uːs

Verb

loose (third-person singular simple present looses, present participle loosing, simple past and past participle loosed)

(transitive) To let loose, to free from restraints.
- 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], OCLC 964384981, Matthew 11:2:
  Ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her; loose them, and bring them unto me.
- 1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, She: A History of Adventure, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., published 1887, OCLC 1167497017:
  "Ay, and one was nigh to being slain by the hot-pot to be eaten of those brutes, thy children, and had not the others fought gallantly they too had been slain, and not even I could have called back the life which had been loosed from the body."
(transitive) To unfasten, to loosen.
(transitive) To make less tight, to loosen.
(intransitive) Of a grip or hold, to let go.
(archery) To shoot (an arrow).
(obsolete) To set sail.
- 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], OCLC 964384981, Acts 13:13:
  Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.
(obsolete) To solve; to interpret.
- 1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book V, Canto XI”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, OCLC 960102938:
  he had red her riddle, which no wight
  Could ever loose

Synonyms

(let loose): free, release
(unfasten): loosen, unbind, undo, unfasten, untie
(make less tight): loosen, relax, slacken
(of grip or hold): let go, release
(archery): fire, shoot

Antonyms

(let loose): bind, constrain
(unfasten): bind, fasten, tie
(make less tight): tighten
(of grip or hold): tighten
(archery): fast

Derived terms

loose off

Translations

to let loose

Bulgarian: освобождавам (bg) (osvoboždavam)
Catalan: deslligar (ca)
Dutch: loslaten (nl), verlossen (nl)
Finnish: vapauttaa (fi), irrottaa (fi), päästää (fi)
Galician: ceibar, soltar (gl)
German: lösen (de)
Greek:
Ancient: λύω (lúō)
Irish: scaoil, scaoil amach
Portuguese: soltar (pt), liberar (pt), libertar (pt)
Russian: освобожда́ть (ru) impf (osvoboždátʹ), освободи́ть (ru) pf (osvobodítʹ), отвя́зывать (ru) impf (otvjázyvatʹ), отвяза́ть (ru) pf (otvjazátʹ)
Spanish: soltar (es), desatar (es), liberar (es)
Swedish: lossa (sv)
Telugu: త్యజించు (te) (tyajiñcu)

to unfasten

Bulgarian: развързвам (bg) (razvǎrzvam)
Catalan: descordar (ca)
Dutch: losmaken (nl)
Finnish: irrottaa (fi)
French: défaire (fr)
Galician: soltar (gl), desamarrar (gl)
German: lösen (de)
Greek:
Ancient: λύω (lúō)
Irish: scaoil
Italian: disfare (it)
Portuguese: desamarrar
Romanian: dezlega (ro)
Russian: ослабля́ть (ru) impf (oslabljátʹ), осла́бить (ru) pf (oslábitʹ), развя́зывать (ru) impf (razvjázyvatʹ), развяза́ть (ru) pf (razvjazátʹ), расстёгивать (ru) impf (rasstjógivatʹ), расстегну́ть (ru) pf (rasstegnútʹ)
Spanish: desabrochar (es), desamarrar (es), soltar (es)
Telugu: నిదానింపజేయు (nidānimpajēyu)

to make less tight

Bulgarian: разхлабвам (bg) (razhlabvam)
Catalan: afluixar (ca)
Finnish: löysätä (fi), höllätä (fi)
Galician: afrouxar (gl)
German: lockern (de)
Greek:
Ancient: λύω (lúō)
Irish: scaoil
Maori: tangatanga, tūtangatanga
Portuguese: afrouxar (pt)
Russian: ослабля́ть (ru) impf (oslabljátʹ), осла́бить (ru) pf (oslábitʹ)
Spanish: aflojar (es)
Telugu: వదులు చేయు (vadulu cēyu)

to let go

Bulgarian: пускам (bg) (puskam)
Catalan: alliberar (ca)
Dutch: loslaten (nl)
Finnish: päästää irti
Galician: soltar (gl), ceibar
German: loslassen (de)
Icelandic: missa (is), sleppa (is), fyrirgjöra (dated)
Irish: scaoil
Polish: puścić (pl) pf, puszczać (pl) impf
Portuguese: soltar (pt)
Russian: отпуска́ть (ru) impf (otpuskátʹ), отпусти́ть (ru) pf (otpustítʹ)
Spanish: soltar (es)
Telugu: అనుమతించు (te) (anumatiñcu)

archery: to shoot

Catalan: tirar (ca)
Dutch: lossen (nl)
Finnish: ampua (fi)
Irish: scaoil
Portuguese: atirar (pt)

Adjective

loose (comparative looser, superlative loosest)

Not fixed in place tightly or firmly.
This wheelbarrow has a loose wheel.
Not held or packaged together.
You can buy apples in a pack, but they are cheaper loose.
Not under control.
The dog is loose again.
- 2020 October 15, Frank Pasquale, “‘Machines set loose to slaughter’: the dangerous rise of military AI”, in The Guardian‎:
  The very idea of a machine set loose to slaughter is chilling.
- 1712 (date written), [Joseph] Addison, Cato, a Tragedy. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], published 1713, OCLC 79426475, Act I, scene v, page 4:
  Now I stand / Loose of my vow; but who knows Cato's thoughts?
Not fitting closely
I wear loose clothes when it is hot.
Not compact.
It is difficult walking on loose gravel.
a cloth of loose texture
- 1667, John Milton, “Book II”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […], OCLC 228722708; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, OCLC 230729554:
  with horse and chariots ranked in loose array
Relaxed.
She danced with a loose flowing movement.
Not precise or exact; vague; indeterminate.
a loose way of reasoning
- 1858, William Whewell, The history of scientific ideas
  The comparison employed […] must be considered rather as a loose analogy than as an exact scientific explanation.
Indiscreet.
Loose talk costs lives.
(somewhat dated) Free from moral restraint; immoral, unchaste.
- 1819, Lord Byron, Don Juan, I:
  In all these he was much and deeply read; / But not a page of any thing that's loose, / Or hints continuation of the species, / Was ever suffer'd, lest he should grow vicious.
- 1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book V, Canto VI”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, OCLC 960102938, stanza 5:
  to seeke her errant Knight; / And then againe resolu'd to hunt him out / Amongst loose Ladies, lapped in delight
- 1826, [Walter Scott], Woodstock; Or, The Cavalier. […], volume (please specify |volume=I, II, or III), Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green, OCLC 991895633:
  the loose morality which he had learned
(not comparable, sports) Not being in the possession of any competing team during a game.
He caught an elbow going after a loose ball.
The puck was momentarily loose right in front of the net.
- 2011 September 28, Tom Rostance, “Arsenal 2 - 1 Olympiakos”, in BBC Sport‎:
  Tomas Rosicky released the left-back with a fine pass but his low cross was cut out by Ivan Marcano. However the Brazilian was able to collect the loose ball, cut inside and roll a right-footed effort past Franco Costanzo at his near post.
(dated) Not costive; having lax bowels.
- 1693, [John Locke], “(please specify the section number)”, in Some Thoughts Concerning Education, London: […] A[wnsham] and J[ohn] Churchill, […], OCLC 1161614482:
  People that are very loose, have seldom strong Thoughts, or strong Bodies
(of volumes of materials) Measured loosely stacked or disorganized (such as of firewood).
Coordinate terms: stacked, solid
(US, slang, motor racing, of a stock car) Having oversteer.

Synonyms

(not fixed in place tightly or firmly): unfastened, unsecured; see also Thesaurus:loose
(not held or packaged together): separate, unpackaged
(not bound or tethered or leashed): free, untethered
(not fitting closely): baggy; see also Thesaurus:loose-fitting
(not compact): diffuse, spaced out; see also Thesaurus:diffuse
(relaxed): loose-limbed, relaxed; see also Thesaurus:carefree
(indiscreet): indiscreet
(promiscuous): promiscuous, slutty, tarty, whorish; see also Thesaurus:promiscuous

Antonyms

(not fixed in place tightly or firmly): firm, tight; see also Thesaurus:tight
(not held or packaged together): packaged
(not bound or tethered or leashed): bound, leashed, tethered, tied, tied up
(not fitting closely): close-fitting, snug, tight; see also Thesaurus:close-fitting
(not compact): compact, firm; see also Thesaurus:compact
(relaxed): tense, tensed
(indiscreet): discreet
(promiscuous): faithful, monogamous
(oversteer): tight

Derived terms

Terms derived from the adjective loose

break loose
cast loose
cut loose
fast and loose
hang loose
let loose
loosen
loose-coupled
loose coupling
loose lip
on the loose
set loose
stay loose
turn loose

Translations

not fixed tightly

Arabic: فَضْفَاض‎ (faḍfāḍ)
Armenian: արձակ (hy) (arjak), արձակված (arjakvac)
Bikol Central: mahiwas
Bulgarian: незакрепен (bg) (nezakrepen), незавързан (nezavǎrzan)
Catalan: fluix (ca)
Chinese:
Cantonese: 鬆, 松 (sung¹)
Mandarin: 鬆動／松动 (zh) (sōngdòng), 鬆弛／松弛 (zh) (sōngchí)
Czech: volný (cs) m
Dutch: los (nl)
Esperanto: loza (eo)
Finnish: löysä (fi), irti (fi)
French: lâche (fr), mal fixé
Galician: frouxo, solto
Georgian: please add this translation if you can
German: lose (de), locker (de)
Greek: χαλαρός (el) m (chalarós)
Ancient: χαλαρός (khalarós)
Hungarian: laza (hu)
Irish: scaoilte, scaoilteach
Italian: sciolto (it)
Japanese: 緩んだ (ja) (yurunda)
Khmer: រលុង (km) (rɔlung)
Korean: 헐렁하다 (ko) (heolleonghada)
Kurdish:
Central Kurdish: شل‎ (ku) (şil)
Latin: solūtus (la)
Malay: longgar
Maori: tangatanga, tangatanga, tatere, kaupe, hāngengangenga, takō, tāwēwē
Norwegian:
Bokmål: løs (no)
Occitan: flus (oc)
Persian: لق‎ (fa) (laq), هرز‎ (fa) (harz)
Plautdietsch: looss
Polish: luźny (pl)
Portuguese: frouxo (pt) m, solto (pt) m
Russian: непривя́занный (neprivjázannyj), неприкреплённый (ru) (neprikrepljónnyj), развя́занный (ru) (razvjázannyj), распу́щенный (ru) (raspúščennyj) (of hair)
Scottish Gaelic: sgaoilte
Spanish: flojo (es), suelto (es)
Swedish: lös (sv)
Telugu: గట్టిగా బిగించని (gaṭṭigā bigiñcani)
Thai: หลวม (th) (lǔuam)
Turkish: gevşek (tr)
Vietnamese: rộng (vi)

not packaged

Bulgarian: неопакован (neopakovan)
Dutch: los (nl)
Finnish: irtonainen (fi), irto- (fi)
French: à la pièce (fr)
German: lose (de)
Greek: χύμα (el) (chýma)
Hungarian: kimérve/súlyra kapható, lédig, csomagolatlan, ömlesztett (hu)
Italian: sciolto (it), sfuso (it)
Norwegian:
Bokmål: løs (no)
Polish: luzem (pl)
Portuguese: desembalado m
Russian: неупако́ванный (ru) (neupakóvannyj)
Spanish: suelto (es)

not leashed — see unleashed

not fitting tightly

Azerbaijani: şalaq, gen
Bulgarian: хлабав (bg) (hlabav)
Czech: volný (cs) m
Dutch: ruim (nl)
Finnish: väljä (fi), avara (fi)
French: lousse (fr) (Quebec, slang), ample (fr), pas serré
Georgian: please add this translation if you can
Greek: ευρύχωρος (el) m (evrýchoros)
Ancient: χαλαρός (khalarós)
Irish: scaoilte
Kurdish:
Central Kurdish: شل‎ (ku) (şil)
Latin: laxus
Maori: tangatanga, ango, mahaki
Norwegian:
Bokmål: løs (no), løs (no)
Nynorsk: laus
Persian: گشاد‎ (fa) (gošâd)
Polish: luźny (pl)
Portuguese: frouxo (pt) m, largo (pt) m
Russian: просто́рный (ru) (prostórnyj), широ́кий (ru) (širókij), свобо́дный (ru) (svobódnyj)
Scottish Gaelic: sgaoilte
Telugu: గట్టిగా కట్టని (gaṭṭigā kaṭṭani)
Thai: หลวม (th) (lǔuam)
Turkish: bol (tr)
Ukrainian: вільний (uk) (vilʹnyj)

not compact

Bulgarian: рохкав (bg) (rohkav)
Catalan: fluix (ca)
Czech: sypký m
Dutch: los (nl), mul (nl)
Finnish: irtonainen (fi), irto- (fi)
French: mal fixé, meuble (fr)
Galician: solto
Irish: scaoilte
Italian: sciolto (it), slegato (it)
Norwegian:
Bokmål: løs (no)
Persian: سست‎ (fa) (sost)
Polish: sypki (pl)
Portuguese: solto (pt) m
Russian: ры́хлый (ru) (rýxlyj), неутрамбо́ванный (neutrambóvannyj)
Scottish Gaelic: sgaoilte
Spanish: suelto (es)
Telugu: సరిపోని (saripōni)

relaxed

Catalan: relaxat
Czech: uvolněný (cs) m
Dutch: ontspannen (nl)
Finnish: rento (fi), sulava (fi), irtonainen (fi)
German: entspannt (de)
Greek: χαλαρός (el) m (chalarós)
Norwegian:
Bokmål: løs (no)
Portuguese: relaxado (pt)
Russian: рассла́бленный (ru) (rassláblennyj)
Spanish: relajado (es)
Telugu: వత్తిడి లేకుండా (vattiḍi lēkuṇḍā)

indiscreet

Catalan: indiscret
Finnish: löyhä (fi), huolimaton (fi)
German: indiskret (de), lose (de)
Greek: απρόσεκτος (el) m (aprósektos), ασύνετος (el) m (asýnetos)
Irish: scaoilteach
Norwegian:
Bokmål: løs (no)
Portuguese: indiscreto (pt)
Russian: неосторо́жный (ru) (neostoróžnyj), несде́ржанный (ru) (nesdéržannyj)
Spanish: indiscreto (es)

promiscuous

Bulgarian: разпуснат (bg) (razpusnat)
Catalan: promiscu (ca)
Finnish: löyhätapainen, epäsiveellinen
French: débauché (fr), facile (fr)
German: zügellos (de), ausschweifend (de), los (de)
Greek: έκλυτος (el) m (éklytos), ακόλαστος (el) m (akólastos)
Kurdish:
Central Kurdish: سووک‎ (ku) (sûk)
Maori: tarau makere
Portuguese: promíscuo (pt)
Russian: распу́щенный (ru) (raspúščennyj), распу́тный (ru) (raspútnyj)
Spanish: promiscuo (es), libertino, golfo (es), ligero (es)
Swedish: lösaktig (sv), promiskuös (sv)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

Georgian: ^{(please verify)} თავისუფალი (tavisupali)
German: ^{(please verify)} lose (de)
Italian: ^{(please verify)} sciolto (it)
Korean: ^{(please verify)} 헐거운 (heolgeoun)
Spanish: ^{(please verify)} suelto (es)
Swedish: ^{(please verify)} lös (sv)

Noun

loose (plural looses)

(archery) The release of an arrow.
- 1641, Ben Jonson, Discoveries Made upon Men and Matter
  In throwing a Dart, or Iavelin, wee force back our armes, to make our loose the stronger.
(obsolete) A state of laxity or indulgence; unrestrained freedom, abandonment.
- 1847 January – 1848 July, William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair […], London: Bradbury and Evans […], published 1848, OCLC 3174108:
  They give a loose to their feelings on proper occasions.
(rugby) All play other than set pieces (scrums and line-outs).
- 2011, Tom Fordyce, Rugby World Cup 2011: England 12-19 France
  The defeat will leave manager Martin Johnson under pressure after his gamble of pairing Jonny Wilkinson and Toby Flood at 10 and 12 failed to ignite the England back line, while his forwards were repeatedly second best at the set-piece and in the loose.
Freedom from restraint.
- 1712 (date written), [Joseph] Addison, Cato, a Tragedy. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], published 1713, OCLC 79426475, Act I, scene iv, page 1:
  Vent all its griefs, and give a loose to sorrow.
- 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], OCLC 928184292:
  The doctor now interposed, and prevented the effects of a wrath which was kindling between Jones and Thwackum; after which the former gave a loose to mirth, sang two or three amorous songs, and fell into every frantic disorder which unbridled joy is apt to inspire […]
A letting go; discharge.

Derived terms

give a loose

Interjection

loose

(archery) begin shooting; release your arrows

Antonyms

(archery: begin shooting): fast

Translations

archery: begin shooting

Telugu: కాల్చడం ఆరంభించుట (kālcaḍaṁ ārambhiñcuṭa)

Related terms

forlorn
lyo-, ly-
-lysis
lysis

Verb

loose

Misspelling of lose.
I'm going to loose this game.

Derived terms

looser

Anagrams

oleos

French

Etymology

Hypercorrectively from English lose or from looseur.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /luz/

Noun

loose f (uncountable)

Great pettiness, shabbiness