loose

Verb

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

1. (transitive) To let loose, to free from restraints.
   • Ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her; loose them, and bring them unto me.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 21:2
   • And it was Thora, the little Dwarf's wife,
     The five rune-books she took out;
     So she loosed him fully out of the runes,
     Her daughter had bound him about.1828, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology, volume I, London: William Harrison Ainsworth, page 167

   Synonyms:

   free, release

2. (transitive) To unfasten, to loosen.

   Synonyms:

   loosen, unbind, undo, unfasten, untie

3. (transitive) To make less tight, to loosen.

   Synonyms:

   loosen, relax, slacken

4. (intransitive) Of a grip or hold, to let go.

   Synonyms:

   let go, release

5. To shoot (an arrow).
6. (obsolete) To set sail.
   • Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Acts 13:13
7. (obsolete) To solve; to interpret.
   • he had red her riddle, which no wight
     Could ever loose1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book V, Canto XI”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC

Adjective

loose (comparative looser, superlative loosest)

1. Not fixed in place tightly or firmly.
   • This wheelbarrow has a loose wheel.

   Synonyms:

   unfastened, free, untethered

2. Not held or packaged together.
   • You can buy apples in a pack, but they are cheaper loose.

   Synonyms:

   separate, unpackaged

3. Not under control.
   • The dog is loose again.
   • The very idea of a machine set loose to slaughter is chilling.2020 October 15, Frank Pasquale, “‘Machines set loose to slaughter’: the dangerous rise of military AI”, in The Guardian
4. Not fitting closely.
   • I wear loose clothes when it is hot.

   Synonyms:

   baggy

5. Not compact.
   • It is difficult walking on loose gravel.
   • a cloth of loose texture

   Synonyms:

   diffuse

6. Relaxed.
   • She danced with a loose flowing movement.

   Synonyms:

   loose-limbed

7. Not precise or exact; vague; indeterminate.
   • a loose way of reasoning
   • The comparison employed […] must be considered rather as a loose analogy than as an exact scientific explanation.1858, William Whewell, The history of scientific ideas
8. Indiscreet.
   • Loose talk costs lives.

   Synonyms:

   indiscreet

9. (dated) Free from moral restraint; immoral, unchaste.
   • 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.1819, Lord Byron, Don Juan, section I
   • to seeke her errant Knight; / And then againe resolu'd to hunt him out / Amongst loose Ladies, lapped in delight1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book V, Canto VI”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 5

   Synonyms:

   promiscuous

10. (not comparable) 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.
11. (dated) Not costive; having lax bowels, diarrheic.
    • People that are very loose, have seldom strong Thoughts, or strong Bodies1693, [John Locke], “(please specify the section number)”, in Some Thoughts Concerning Education, London: […] A[wnsham] and J[ohn] Churchill, […], →OCLC
12. Measured loosely stacked or disorganized (such as of firewood).
13. (US, slang) Having oversteer.

Noun

loose (plural looses)

1. The release of an arrow.
   • In throwing a Dart, or Iavelin, wee force back our armes, to make our loose the stronger.1641, Ben Jonson, Discoveries Made upon Men and Matter
2. (obsolete) A state of laxity or indulgence; unrestrained freedom, abandonment.
   • They give a loose to their feelings on proper occasions.1847 January – 1848 July, William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair […], London: Bradbury and Evans […], published 1848, →OCLC
3. All play other than set pieces (scrums and line-outs).
   • 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.2011, Tom Fordyce, Rugby World Cup 2011: England 12-19 France
4. Freedom from restraint.
   • Vent all its griefs, and give a loose to sorrow.1712 (date written), [Joseph] Addison, Cato, a Tragedy. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], published 1713, →OCLC, Act IV, scene i, page 45
   • 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 […]1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC
5. A letting go; discharge.

Interjection

1. begin shooting; release your arrows

Proper noun capitalized: Loose

Loose (plural Looses)

1. A surname.