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loose
loose / loōs/ • adj. 1. not firmly or tightly fixed in place: a loose tooth the truck's trailer came loose. ∎ detached or able to be detached: a loose board. ∎ not held or tied together; not packaged or placed in a container: wear your hair loose pockets bulging with loose change. ∎ (of a person or animal) free from confinement; not bound or tethered: the bull was loose with cattle in the field the tethered horses broke loose. ∎ not strict or exact: a loose interpretation. ∎ not close or compact in structure: a loose weave | fig. a loose federation of political and industrial groups. ∎ typical of diarrhea: many patients report loose bowel movements. 2. (of a garment) not fitting tightly or closely: she slipped into a loose T-shirt and shorts. 3. relaxed; physically slack: she swung back into her easy, loose stride | a loose-limbed walk. ∎ careless and indiscreet in what is said: there is too much loose talk about the situation. ∎ dated promiscuous; immoral: she ran the risk of being called a loose woman. ∎ (of the ball in a game) in play but not in any player's possession. • v. [tr.] set free; release: the hounds have been loosed. ∎ untie; unfasten: the ropes were loosed. ∎ relax (one's grip): he loosed his grip suddenly. PHRASES: hang (or stay) loose [often as imper.] inf. be relaxed; refrain from taking anything too seriously: hang loose, baby! on the loose having escaped from confinement: a serial killer is on the loose.DERIVATIVES: loose·ly adv. loose·ness n. |
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Cite this article
"loose." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "loose." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-loose.html "loose." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-loose.html |
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loose
loose unbound, unattached XIII; not close XIV; not careful, inexact XVII. — ON. lauss = OE. lēas lying, untrue, OS., OHG. lōs, Goth. laus :- Gmc. *lausaz, f. *laus- *leus- *lus-; see LOSS.
Hence loose vb. XIII. loosen (-EN5) XIV. |
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Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "loose." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "loose." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-loose.html T. F. HOAD. "loose." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-loose.html |
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Loose
Loose Kent. Hlose 11th cent. ‘(Place at) the pig-sty’. OE hlōse.
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Cite this article
A. D. MILLS. "Loose." A Dictionary of British Place-Names. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. A. D. MILLS. "Loose." A Dictionary of British Place-Names. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O40-Loose.html A. D. MILLS. "Loose." A Dictionary of British Place-Names. 2003. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O40-Loose.html |
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loose
loose See loose cannon, hell is let loose.
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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "loose." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "loose." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-loose.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "loose." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-loose.html |
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loose
loose •abstruse, abuse, adduce, Ballets Russes, Belarus, Bruce, burnous, caboose, charlotte russe, conduce, deduce, deuce, diffuse, douce, educe, excuse, goose, induce, introduce, juice, Larousse, loose, luce, misuse, moose, mousse, noose, obtuse, Palouse, papoose, produce, profuse, puce, recluse, reduce, Rousse, seduce, sluice, Sousse, spruce, traduce, truce, use, vamoose, Zeus
•cayuse • calaboose • mongoose
•Aarhus • verjuice • couscous
•footloose • ventouse • refuse
•Odysseus • Idomeneus • hypotenuse
•Syracuse
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Cite this article
"loose." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "loose." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-loose.html "loose." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-loose.html |
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