loose

The definition of loose is something unbound, available, or not tight.

(adjective)

See loose in Webster's New World College Dictionary

not confined or restrained; free; unbound
not put up in a special package, box, binding, etc.: loose salt
readily available; not put away under lock and key: loose cash
not firmly fastened down, on, or in: a loose tooth, a loose wheel
not taut; slack
not tight; giving enough room: loose clothing
not compact or compactly constructed: loose soil, a loose frame
not restrained; irresponsible: loose talk
not precise or close; inexact: a loose translation
sexually immoral or promiscuous
1. not strained or hard: a loose cough
2. moving freely or excessively: loose bowels
Informal relaxed; easy; unconstrained

Origin: ME lous < ON lauss, akin to Ger los, OE leas: see -less

loosely; in a loose manner

transitive verb loosed, loosing

intransitive verb

to discharge a bullet, arrow, etc.; fire

Related Forms:

See loose in American Heritage Dictionary 4

adjective loos·er, loos·est

Not fastened, restrained, or contained: loose bricks.
Not taut, fixed, or rigid: a loose anchor line; a loose chair leg.
Free from confinement or imprisonment; unfettered: criminals loose in the neighborhood; dogs that are loose on the streets.
Not tight-fitting or tightly fitted: loose shoes.
Not bound, bundled, stapled, or gathered together: loose papers.
Not compact or dense in arrangement or structure: loose gravel.
Lacking a sense of restraint or responsibility; idle: loose talk.
Not formal; relaxed: a loose atmosphere at the club.
Lacking conventional moral restraint in sexual behavior.
Not literal or exact: a loose translation.
Characterized by a free movement of fluids in the body: a loose cough; loose bowels.

adverb

In a loose manner.

verb loosed loosed, loos·ing, loos·es

verb, transitive

To let loose; release: loosed the dogs.
To make loose; undo: loosed his belt.
To cast loose; detach: hikers loosing their packs at camp.
To let fly; discharge: loosed an arrow.
To release pressure or obligation from; absolve: loosed her from the responsibility.
To make less strict; relax: a leader's strong authority that was loosed by easy times.

verb, intransitive