What (who) is loose - definition
WIKIMEDIA DISAMBIGUATION PAGE
Loose (disambiguation); Loose material; Looses; Loose (album); Loose (song)
loose
(looser, loosest, looses, loosing, loosed)
Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
1.
Something that is loose is not firmly held or fixed in place.
If a tooth feels very loose, your dentist may recommend that it's taken out...
Two wooden beams had come loose from the ceiling...
She idly pulled at a loose thread on her skirt.
ADJ
• loosely
Tim clasped his hands together and held them loosely in front of his belly.
ADV: ADV with v
2.
Something that is loose is not attached to anything, or held or contained in anything.
Frank emptied a handful of loose change on the table...
A page came loose and floated onto the tiles.
ADJ: usu ADJ n
3.
If people or animals break loose or are set loose, they are no longer held, tied, or kept somewhere and can move around freely.
She broke loose from his embrace and crossed to the window...
Why didn't you tell me she'd been set loose?...
= free
ADJ: ADJ after v, ADJ n, v-link ADJ
4.
Clothes that are loose are rather large and do not fit closely.
Wear loose clothes as they're more comfortable.
= baggy
? tight
ADJ
• loosely
His shirt hung loosely over his thin shoulders.
ADV: ADV after v, ADV -ed
5.
If your hair is loose, it hangs freely round your shoulders and is not tied back.
She was still in her nightdress, with her hair hanging loose over her shoulders.
ADJ
6.
If something is loose in texture, there is space between the different particles or threads it consists of.
She gathered loose soil and let it filter slowly through her fingers.
ADJ
7.
A loose grouping, arrangement, or organization is flexible rather than strictly controlled or organized.
Murray and Alison came to some sort of loose arrangement before he went home...
He wants a loose coalition of leftwing forces.
ADJ: usu ADJ n
• loosely
The investigation had aimed at a loosely organised group of criminals.
ADV: ADV with v
8.
If a person or an animal is on the loose, they are free because they have escaped from a person or place.
Up to a thousand prisoners may be on the loose inside the jail...
PHRASE: v-link PHR
9.
loose
I. v. a.
1.
Unfasten, untie, unbind, unloose, set free.
2.
Relax, loosen.
3.
Release, liberate, free, set free.
4.
Detach, disconnect, disengage.
5.
Unfasten, undo, unlock.
6.
Remit, absolve.
II. a.
1.
Unbound, untied, unsewed, unconfined, unfastened.
2.
Free, unattached.
3.
Movable.
4.
Slack, relaxed.
5.
Open, incompact.
6.
Prolix, rambling, diffusive, unconnected, diffuse.
7.
Vague, indefinite, indistinct, indeterminate, ill-defined.
8.
Lax.
9.
Lax, careless, slack, negligent, heedless.
10.
Easy, comfortable.
11.
Disengaged, free, unengaged (with from or of).
12.
Immoral, dissolute, unchaste, wanton, licentious.
loose
[lu:s]
¦ adjective
1. not firmly or tightly fixed in place.
not held, tied, or packaged together.
not bound or tethered.
(of the ball in a game) in play but not in any player's possession.
2. not fitting tightly or closely.
3. not dense or compact.
(of play, especially in rugby) with the players far apart.
4. relaxed; physically slack.
not strict or exact.
careless and indiscreet: loose talk.
5. dated promiscuous: a loose woman.
¦ noun (the loose) Rugby loose play.
¦ verb
1. set free.
untie; unfasten.
relax (one's grip).
2. (usu. loose something off) discharge; fire.
Phrases
hang loose informal, chiefly N. Amer. remain calm and untroubled.
on the loose having escaped from confinement.
Derivatives
loosely adverb
looseness noun
Origin
ME loos 'free from bonds', from ON lauss, of Gmc origin.
Usage
The words loose and lose should not be confused: see usage at lose.
Pronunciation examples for loose
1. Get loose, get loose.
Pike Place Fish Demo _ Anders Miller & Bryan Jarr _ Talks at Google
2. Come on, loose, loose.
Pike Place Fish Demo _ Anders Miller & Bryan Jarr _ Talks at Google
3. loose.
Tea Talk _ Ned Heagerty _ Talks at Google
4. loose.
Living Your Life's Purpose _ Frederick Marx _ Talks at Google
5. Mailer's loose.
28 Days Later... (2002)
Examples of use of loose
1. There were live wires, loose bulb holders and the earth wire was loose in the plug.
2. "It‘s true that European monetary conditions are loose, and in some countries very loose," Rato said.
3. Mom." "‘night, Mother," "Loose Cannons" and "Soapdish."
4. The loose, long wrap dresses topped with loose cardigan coats in the neutral–yet–dark palette were stylish yet extremely wearable.
5. That‘s why it‘s called ‘Loose.‘ " ‘I don‘t want people to pigeonhole me‘ "Loose," says Furtado, is so called because of its feel.