loose

[ loos ]

/ lus /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR loose ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective, loos·er, loos·est.

free or released from fastening or attachment: a loose end.

free from anything that binds or restrains; unfettered: loose cats prowling around in alleyways at night.

uncombined, as a chemical element.

not bound together: to wear one's hair loose.

not put up in a package or other container: loose mushrooms.

available for disposal; unused; unappropriated: loose funds.

lacking in reticence or power of restraint: a loose tongue.

lax, as the bowels.

lacking moral restraint or integrity; notorious for his loose character.

sexually promiscuous or immoral; unchaste.

not firm, taut, or rigid: a loose tooth; a loose rein.

relaxed or limber in nature: He runs with a loose, open stride.

not fitting closely or tightly: a loose sweater.

not close or compact in structure or arrangement; having spaces between the parts; open: a loose weave.

having few restraining factors between associated constituents and allowing ample freedom for independent action: a loose federation of city-states.

not cohering: loose sand.

not strict, exact, or precise: a loose interpretation of the law.

Sports.

having the players on a team positioned at fairly wide intervals, as in a football formation.
(of a ball, hockey puck, etc.) not in the possession of either team; out of player control.

adverb

in a loose manner; loosely (usually used in combination): loose-flowing.

verb (used with object), loosed, loos·ing.

to let loose; free from bonds or restraint.

to release, as from constraint, obligation, or penalty.

Chiefly Nautical. to set free from fastening or attachment: to loose a boat from its moorings.

to unfasten, undo, or untie, as a bond, fetter, or knot.

to shoot; discharge; let fly: to loose missiles at the invaders.

to make less tight; slacken or relax.

to render less firmly fixed; lessen an attachment; loosen.

verb (used without object), loosed, loos·ing.

to let go a hold.

to hoist anchor; get under way.

to shoot or let fly an arrow, bullet, etc. (often followed by off): to loose off at a flock of ducks.

Obsolete. to become loose; loosen.

Nearby words

loophole frame, looping, looping mill, loopy, loos, loose, loose cannon, loose change, loose cover, loose end, loose ends

Idioms

break loose, to free oneself; escape: The convicts broke loose.

cast loose,

to loosen or unfasten, as a ship from a mooring.
to send forth; set adrift or free: He was cast loose at an early age to make his own way in the world.

cut loose,

to release from domination or control.
to become free, independent, etc.
to revel without restraint: After the rodeo they headed into town to cut loose.

hang/stay loose, Slang. to remain relaxed and unperturbed.

let loose,

to free or become free.
to yield; give way: The guardrail let loose and we very nearly plunged over the edge.

on the loose,

free; unconfined, as, especially, an escaped convict or circus animal.
behaving in an unrestrained or dissolute way: a bachelor on the loose.

turn loose, to release or free, as from confinement: The teacher turned the children loose after the class.

Origin of loose

1175–1225; (adj.) Middle English los, loos < Old Norse lauss loose, free, empty; cognate with Old English lēas (see -less), Dutch, German los loose, free; (v.) Middle English leowsen, lousen, derivative of the adj.

SYNONYMS FOR loose

2 unbound, untied, unrestricted, unconfined.

10 libertine, dissolute, licentious.

17 vague, general, indefinite.

20 loosen, unbind.

21 liberate.

25 ease.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR loose ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR loose

1 bound.

10 chaste.

25 tighten.

SEE MORE ANTONYMS FOR loose ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

loose·ly, adverbloose·ness, nouno·ver·loose, adjectiveo·ver·loose·ly, adverb

o·ver·loose·ness, noun

Can be confused

loose loosen lose loss

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for cast loose

loose

/ (luːs) /

adjective

free or released from confinement or restraint

not close, compact, or tight in structure or arrangement

not fitted or fitting closelyloose clothing is cooler

not bundled, packaged, fastened, or put in a containerloose nails

inexact; imprecisea 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 proprietyloose 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 and Canadian very relaxed; easy

noun

the loose rugby the part of play when the forwards close round the ball in a ruck or loose scrumSee scrum

on the loose

free from confinement or restraint
informal on a spree

adverb

in a loose manner; loosely
(in combination)loose-fitting

hang loose informal, mainly US to behave in a relaxed, easy fashion

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)

Derived Forms

loosely, adverblooseness, noun

Word Origin for loose

C13 (in the sense: not bound): from Old Norse lauss free; related to Old English lēas free from, -less

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with cast loose (1 of 2)

cast loose

Also, cast adrift. Let go, freed, as in After Rob was suspended from boarding school, he was cast loose with nowhere to go, or Selling her home meant she was cast adrift with no financial ties or responsibilities. Originally a nautical term for releasing a vessel, this idiom was being used figuratively by the late 1500s.

Idioms and Phrases with cast loose (2 of 2)

loose

In addition to the idioms beginning with loose

loose cannon
loose ends

also see:

at loose ends
break loose
cast loose
cut loose
footloose and fancy-free
hang loose
have a screw loose
on the loose
play fast and loose