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louse
[ noun lous; verb lous, louz ]
/ noun laÊs; verb laÊs, laÊz /
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noun, plural lice [lahys] /laÉȘs/ for 1-3, lous·es for 4.
any small, wingless insect of the order Anoplura (sucking louse ), parasitic on humans and other mammals and having mouthparts adapted for sucking, as Pediculus humanus humanus(body louse ) or Pediculus humanus capitis(head louse ) and Phthirius pubis(crab louse, or pubic louse ).
any insect of the order Mallophaga (bird louse, biting louse, or chewing louse ), parasitic on birds and mammals, having mouthparts adapted for biting.
Slang. a contemptible person, especially an unethical one.
verb (used with object), loused, lous·ing.
to delouse.
Verb Phrases
louse up, Slang. to spoil; botch: Miscasting loused up the movie.
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In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known asâŠ
Origin of louse
First recorded before 900; 1910â15 for def. 4; Middle English lous(e), luse, plural lise, lice; Old English lĆ«s, plural lyÌs; cognate with Dutch luis, German Laus, Old Norse lĆ«s
Words nearby louse
lour, Lourdes, Lourenço Marques, lourie, loury, louse, louser, louse up, lousewort, lousy, lousy with
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use louse in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for louse
louse
/ (laÊs) /
noun plural lice (laÉȘs)
any wingless bloodsucking insect of the order Anoplura: includes Pediculus capitis (head louse), Pediculus corporis (body louse), and the crab louse, all of which infest manRelated adjective: pedicular
biting louse or bird louse any wingless insect of the order Mallophaga, such as the chicken louse: external parasites of birds and mammals with biting mouthparts
any of various similar but unrelated insects, such as the plant louse and book louse
plural louses slang an unpleasant or mean person
verb (tr)
to remove lice from
(foll by up) slang to ruin or spoil
Word Origin for louse
Old English lƫs; related to Old High German, Old Norse lƫs
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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