loop

[ loop ]

/ lup /

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See synonyms for: loop / looped / looping on Thesaurus.com

noun

a portion of a cord, ribbon, etc., folded or doubled upon itself so as to leave an opening between the parts.

anything shaped more or less like a loop, as a line drawn on paper, a part of a letter, a part of a path, or a line of motion.

a curved piece or a ring of metal, wood, or the like, used for the insertion of something, as a handle, etc.

intrauterine device.

Aeronautics. a maneuver executed by an airplane in such a manner that the airplane describes a closed curve in a vertical plane.

a circular area at the end of a trolley line, railroad line, etc., where cars turn around.

an arm of a cloverleaf where traffic may turn off or onto a main road or highway.

Physics. the part of a vibrating string, column of air or other medium, etc., between two adjacent nodes.

Electricity. a closed electric or magnetic circuit.

Computers. the reiteration of a set of instructions in a routine or program.

a wire, usually of platinum, one end of which is curved to form a loop, used for transferring microorganisms from one medium to another.

a sand bar that encloses or nearly encloses a body of water.

Figure Skating. a school figure in which a skater traces a large half circle, a small oval within its arc, and another large half circle to complete the figure while remaining on the same skating edge.

the Loop, the main business district of Chicago.

verb (used with object)

to form into a loop.

to make a loop in.

to enfold or encircle in or with something arranged in a loop.

to fasten by forming into a loop, or by means of something formed into a loop (often followed by up): to loop up the new draperies.

to cause (a missile or projectile) to trace a looping or looplike trajectory through the air: to loop a grenade into the building.

to fly (an airplane) in a loop or series of loops.

to construct a closed electric or magnetic circuit.

Movies. to complete by means of looping: We still have to loop the final scenes.

verb (used without object)

to make or form a loop: The river loops around the two counties.

to move by forming loops, as a measuringworm.

to trace a looping or looplike path through the air: The fly ball looped high in the air.

to perform a loop or series of loops in an airplane.

Movies. to record dialogue, sound effects, etc., onto an existing film track or soundtrack.

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Question 1 of 6

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Idioms about loop

in / out of the loop, included in or excluded from a group of people who receive the latest information about something: She’s often out of the loop on policy decisions.

throw / knock for a loop, to astonish or upset: Her quitting the project really threw me for a loop.

Origin of loop

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English loupe “loop of cloth,” of uncertain origin; probably from Gaelic lub “bend, loop”

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH loop

loop , loupe

Words nearby loop

looney, loonie, loony, loony bin, loony tunes, loop, loop aerial, loop diuretic, looped, looper, loophole

Other definitions for loop (2 of 3)

loop²

[ loop ]

/ lup /

noun Archaic.

a small or narrow opening, as in a wall; loophole.

Origin of loop

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English loupe, loup “loophole”; compare Middle Dutch lūpen “lie in wait, peep, peer”

Other definitions for loop (3 of 3)

loop³

[ loop ]

/ lup /

noun Metalworking.

a hot bloom of pasty consistency, to be worked under a hammer or in rolls.

Origin of loop

First recorded in 1665–75; from French loupe, special use of loupe “wen, knob, gnarl,” ultimately from Germanic; see loupe

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use loop in a sentence

To tally the possibilities implied by a loop, theorists must turn to a summing operation known as an integral.
The Mathematical Structure of Particle Collisions Comes Into View|Charlie Wood|August 20, 2020|Quanta Magazine
The McAfee researchers say their goal is ultimately to demonstrate the inherent vulnerabilities in these AI systems and make clear that human beings must stay in the loop.
The hack that could make face recognition think someone else is you|Karen Hao|August 5, 2020|MIT Technology Review
As you have now navigated the ins and outs of the forecast, there’s still one more thing that may get the customer stuck in a loop.
How to craft a winning SEO proposal and avoid getting a silent ‘No’|Sponsored Content: SEOmonitor|August 3, 2020|Search Engine Land
In contrast, the new prediction method is rooted in the intricacies of how and when the sun’s tangled loops of magnetic fields rearrange themselves, in a process known as magnetic reconnection, releasing bursts of energy that mark solar flares.
The physics of solar flares could help scientists predict imminent outbursts|Emily Conover|July 30, 2020|Science News

How exactly that would happen is far from clear, so for the time being it seems like it might be a good idea to keep humans in the loop for most AI decision-making.
AI Behaving Badly: New Model Could Help AI Make More Ethical Choices|Edd Gent|July 6, 2020|Singularity Hub
Just being able to be in the loop when something is happening, it just works.
Anastasia Ashley, Surfer-Cum-Model, Rides The Viral Internet Wave|James Joiner|December 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The outré character is sure to throw even the most ardent fans of the Golden Globe winner for a loop.
Michael C. Hall on Going Drag for ‘Hedwig and the Angry Inch’ and Exorcising ‘Dexter’|Marlow Stern|December 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
From the roof of the barn is a long loop of rope, through this the turkey is suspended by its legs.
Confessions of a Turkey Killer|Tom Sykes|November 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I am coming from Venice [Film Festival], so I am a little bit out of the time loop.
Al Pacino Does What He Wants to Do: 'The Humbling,' Scorsese, and That 'Scarface' Remake|Alex Suskind|September 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The system could operate on a closed loop, recycling its water and harnessing the power of the sun.
Why Architects Dream Big—and Crazy|Nate Berg|August 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Finish off with a button and loop, and flute the frill on each side over the finger to make it set.
The Ladies' Book of Etiquette, and Manual of Politeness|Florence Hartley
The hawser was made into a loop around his body and the other end was tied around the mother.
Kari the Elephant|Dhan Gopal Mukerji
This time we made a double loop around him, and also made him hold on to the rope around the tree with his trunk.
Kari the Elephant|Dhan Gopal Mukerji
A small loop, slipped over the point of the lower stick, held the noose in position.
Gold-Seeking on the Dalton Trail|Arthur R. Thompson
A small nail or button—anything larger than the loop in the wire—should be attached to the kite string a few feet from the kite.
The Boy Mechanic, Book 2|Various

British Dictionary definitions for loop (1 of 2)

loop¹

/ (luːp) /

noun

the round or oval shape formed by a line, string, etc, that curves around to cross itself

any round or oval-shaped thing that is closed or nearly closed

a piece of material, such as string, curved round and fastened to form a ring or handle for carrying by

an intrauterine contraceptive device in the shape of a loop

electronics

a closed electric or magnetic circuit through which a signal can circulate
short for loop aerial

a flight manoeuvre in which an aircraft flies one complete circle in the vertical plane

Also called: loop line mainly British a railway branch line which leaves the main line and rejoins it after a short distance

maths physics a closed curve on a graphhysteresis loop

another name for antinode

anatomy

the most common basic pattern of the human fingerprint, formed by several sharply rising U-shaped ridgesCompare arch 1 (def. 4b), whorl (def. 3)
a bend in a tubular structure, such as the U-shaped curve in a kidney tubule (Henle's loop or loop of Henle)

computing a series of instructions in a program, performed repeatedly until some specified condition is satisfied

skating a jump in which the skater takes off from a back outside edge, makes one, two, or three turns in the air, and lands on the same back outside edge

a group of people to whom information is circulated (esp in the phrases in or out of the loop)

verb

(tr) to make a loop in or of (a line, string, etc)

(tr) to fasten or encircle with a loop or something like a loop

Also: loop the loop to cause (an aircraft) to perform a loop or (of an aircraft) to perform a loop

(intr) to move in loops or in a path like a loop

Word Origin for loop

C14: loupe, origin unknown

British Dictionary definitions for loop (2 of 2)

loop²

/ (luːp) /

noun

an archaic word for loophole

Word Origin for loop

C14: perhaps related to Middle Dutch lupen to watch, peer

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

Medical definitions for loop

loop

[ lōōp ]

A curve or bend in a cord or other cylindrical body, forming an oval or circular ring.

A type of loop-shaped intrauterine device.

Other Idioms and Phrases with loop

loop

see in the loop; knock for a loop.

loop

Idioms about loop

Origin of loop

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH loop

Words nearby loop

Other definitions for loop (2 of 3)

Origin of loop

Other definitions for loop (3 of 3)

Origin of loop

Words related to loop

How to use loop in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for loop (1 of 2)

Word Origin for loop

British Dictionary definitions for loop (2 of 2)

Word Origin for loop

Medical definitions for loop

Other Idioms and Phrases with loop