loose (luːs
)
Definitions
adjective
- free or released from confinement or restraint
- not close, compact, or tight in structure or arrangement
- not fitted or fitting closely ⇒
loose clothing is cooler
- not bundled, packaged, fastened, or put in a container ⇒
loose nails
- inexact; imprecise ⇒
a loose translation
- (of funds, cash, etc) not allocated or locked away; readily available
- (esp of women) promiscuous or easy
- (of attitudes, ways of life, etc) immoral or dissolute
- lacking a sense of responsibility or propriety ⇒
loose talk
- (of the bowels) emptying easily, esp excessively; lax
- (of a cough) accompanied by phlegm, mucus, etc
- (of a dye or dyed article) fading as a result of washing; not fast
- informal mainly US Canadian very relaxed; easy
noun
- See the loose
- See on the loose
adverb
- in a loose manner; loosely
- ((in combination) ⇒
loose-fitting
- See hang loose
verb
- (tr) to set free or release, as from confinement, restraint, or obligation
- (tr) to unfasten or untie
- to make or become less strict, tight, firmly attached, compact, etc
- when intr, often foll by off to let fly (a bullet, arrow, or other missile)
Alternative Forms
ˈloosely adverb ˈlooseness nounWord Origin
C13 (in the sense: not bound): from Old Norse lauss free; related to Old English lēas free from, -lessSynonyms
View thesaurus entry=
free,
detached,
insecure,
unfettered,
released,
floating,
wobbly,
unsecured,
unrestricted,
untied,
unattached,
movable,
unfastened,
unbound,
unconfined,
=
slack,
easy,
hanging,
relaxed,
loosened,
not fitting
sloppy,
baggy,
slackened,
loose-fitting,
not tight
=
promiscuous,
fast,
abandoned,
immoral,
dissipated,
lewd,
wanton,
profligate,
disreputable,
debauched,
dissolute,
libertine,
licentious,
unchaste,
Translations
- British English:
loose
Something that is loose moves when it should not.One of the table legs is loose.luːs ADJECTIVE One of the table legs is loose.
- Spanish:
holgado
adj holgada
- French:
lâche
adj
- German:
weit
adj
- Chinese: 宽松的 adj
- Arabic: مَفْكُوكٌ adj
- Portuguese: frouxo adj frouxa
- Russian: свободный adj свободная
- Croatian: labav adj labava
- Czech: volný adj
- Danish: løs adj
- Dutch: los adj
- Finnish: löysä adj
- Greek: χαλαρός adj χαλαρή
- Italian: sciolto adj sciolta
- Japanese: 緩い adj
- Korean: 헐렁한 adj
- Norwegian: løs adj
- Polish: luźny adj luźna
- Brazilian Portuguese: frouxo adj frouxa
- European Spanish:
holgado
adj holgada
- Swedish: lös adj löst
- Thai: ไม่แน่น adj
- Turkish: gevşek adj
- Vietnamese: lỏng adj
Usage examples
Now, seeing her again had let loose emotions he hadn't felt for a long time.
, LOST SUMMER (2002)Raw and messy emotions are let loose in private, almost never, God forbid, at the funeral itself.
Globe and Mail (2003)Felix wants order; Oscar wants the loose , louche bachelor lifestyle.
Glasgow Herald (2001)Stay loose , let the whole body shake, tremble like a leaf in the wind... become the shaking... keep breathing!
, MOVING INTO ECSTASY: An Urban Mystic's Guide to Movement, Music and Meditation (2001)