1760–70; < Spanish lazo < Latin laqueus noose, bond; see lace
A lasso is the loop of rope that cowboys use to catch cattle. To be a successful cowboy or cowgirl, you have to learn to throw a lasso while riding a galloping horse. The circle of rope is called a lasso. and to lasso is to use it to catch a runaway animal. A child might lasso her stuffed animals while riding a rocking horse, and during a rodeo, cowboys who specialize in "trick roping" use their lassos to do fancy spinning tricks. Lasso was coined in the U.S. around 1807, from the Spanish lazo, and its Latin root laqueum, both meaning "noose" or "snare."
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Having moved to London, he was cast in Ted Lasso, which won multiple awards over its initial three-series run.
From BBC • May 12, 2026
They are caricatured as tourists, or cowboys, or worse—Ted Lasso.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 18, 2026
UCLA’s social media accounts highlighted Chesney’s efforts all offseason to preach personal accountability and serving others, doling out a mix of John Wooden and Ted Lasso life lessons.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026
In that episode, Kimmel described Lindell as what would happen if “Ted Lasso was on the FBI watch list.”
From Slate • Dec. 11, 2025
Lasso, las′ō, n. a long rope with a running noose for catching wild horses, &c.:—pl.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 2 of 4: E-M) by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
