Loose | Mean of loose in English Dictionary

/ˈluːs/

• not tightly fastened, attached, or held
1. a loose tooth
2. a loose thread
3. Some of the shingles on the roof were loose.
4. The rope was tied in a loose knot.
5. The nails had been pried loose.
6. Some of the shingles had come/worked loose.
7. The boat came loose from its moorings and floated out into the harbor.
8. The ball popped loose from the shortstop's glove.
• not pulled or stretched tight
1. a loose belt
2. loose reins on a horse
3. loose skin
• not fitting close to your body
1. She was wearing a loose dress/skirt.
2. a loose [=baggy] sweater

• not physically held or contained
1. The dog was wandering loose in the streets.
2. The lion had somehow gotten/broken loose [=free] from its cage.
• not held together in a solid or tight mass
1. loose dirt
2. loose rocks
3. loose sandy soil
• not held together in a bundle, container, etc.
1. loose sheets of paper
2. Loose hairs stuck out from under his cap.
3. She let her hair hang down loose.
4. You can buy a bag of potatoes or some loose potatoes.
• not stiff or tense
1. He walked with a loose stride.
2. loose muscles
3. I never relaxed that day; I just couldn't get loose.
4. Runners should warm up for a few minutes to get loose.
5. I tried to stay loose during the game, but I was too nervous.
• not closely joined or united
1. Ten advocacy groups from all parts of the country formed a loose alliance/association/coalition to present their shared interests to Congress.
• not exact or precise
1. a very loose translation
2. a loose interpretation of the law
3. This book is only a novel in the loose sense of the word. [=the word “novel” does not usually refer to a book like this; many people would not consider the book a novel]
• not careful in speech
1. Loose [=careless] talk spread the rumor.
2. She has a loose tongue. [=she talks too much about things that are private, secret, etc.]
• not controlled or held by any of the players in a game
1. a loose ball/puck
• not respectable sexually
1. He was accused of loose conduct/behavior.
2. a loose woman
3. loose morals
• containing a larger than normal amount of fluid
1. loose stools
• producing loose stools
1. loose bowels
2. loose bowel movements
• to stop supporting or employing (someone)
1. He worked here for a few years but he didn't do a good job, so we finally had to cut him loose.
2. She's been cut loose from her contract. [=the company/organization with whom she had a contract to work has ended the contract]
• to act in a free and relaxed way after behaving in a way that is controlled
1. I enjoy cutting loose with friends on weekends.
• to remain calm and relaxed
1. Just hang loose for a minute. I'll be right back.
• to allow (someone or something) to move or go freely
1. He let/set the dogs loose in the courtyard.
2. cattle let loose to graze on the green fields
3. It's the end of the school year, when schools turn students loose on our towns.
4. a director who's willing to let her actors loose to interpret their roles however they see fit
5. We must find ways to stop the violence that has been let loose [=loosed] on the city.
• to produce (something, such as a cry) in a sudden and forceful way
1. The crowd let loose [=let out] an enormous groan when the pass was intercepted.
2. She let loose (with) a scream.
• in a way that does not fit close to your body
1. loose-fitting clothing
• Verb
• to release or untie (an animal or person)
1. They loosed the dogs on the prowlers. [=they released the dogs so that they could catch, chase away, etc., the prowlers]
2. riots that have loosed an epidemic of violence on the city
• to make (something) less tight
1. He loosed his grip.
• to shoot or fire (something, such as an arrow or a bullet)
1. The soldiers loosed a volley of rifle fire.
• Noun
• able to move freely
1. The prisoner escaped and is still on the loose.
2. A killer is on the loose.
3. An angry mob was on the loose.