looser
Variant of loose
loose
definition
loose (lo̵̅o̅s)
adjective looser loos′er, loosest loos′·est
- 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
- not strained or hard a loose cough
- moving freely or excessively loose bowels
- Informal relaxed; easy; unconstrained
Etymology: ME lous < ON lauss, akin to Ger los, OE leas: see -less
transitive verb loosed, loosing loos′·ing
- to make loose; specif.,
- to set free; unbind
- to make less tight
- to make less compact
- to free from restraint; make less rigid; relax
- to free from an obligation or responsibility; absolve
- to let fly; release to loose an arrow into the air
intransitive verb
to discharge a bullet, arrow, etc.; fire
loose Idioms
break loose
- to free oneself by force
- to shake off restraint
cast loose
to untie or unfasten; become or set free
let loose (with)
to set free or give out; release
on the loose
- not confined or bound; free
- Informal having fun in a free, unrestrained manner
Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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