Definition of "loose"

loose¹

/luːs/

verb
third-person singular simple present looses, present participle loosing, simple past and past participle loosed
1. (transitive) To let loose, to free from restraints.
  Quotations
  Ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her; loose them, and bring them unto me.
  1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], Matthew 11:2
  "Ay, and one was nigh to being slain by the hot-pot to be eaten of those brutes, thy children, and had not the others fought gallantly they too had been slain, and not even I could have called back the life which had been loosed from the body."
  1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, She: A History of Adventure, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., published 1887
2. (transitive) To unfasten, to loosen.
3. (transitive) To make less tight, to loosen.
4. (intransitive) Of a grip or hold, to let go.
5. (archery) To shoot (an arrow).
6. (obsolete) To set sail.
  Quotations
  Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.
  1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], Acts 13:13
7. (obsolete) To solve; to interpret.
  Quotations
  he had red her riddle, which no wight Could ever loose
  1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book V, Canto XI”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie
adjective
comparative looser, superlative loosest
1. Not fixed in place tightly or firmly.
2. Not held or packaged together.
3. Not under control.
  Quotations
  The very idea of a machine set loose to slaughter is chilling.
  2020 October 15, Frank Pasquale, “‘Machines set loose to slaughter’: the dangerous rise of military AI”, in The Guardian‎
  Now I stand / Loose of my vow; but who knows Cato's thoughts?
  1712 (date written), [Joseph] Addison, Cato, a Tragedy. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], published 1713, Act I, scene v, page 4
4. Not fitting closely
5. Not compact.
  Quotations
  with horse and chariots ranked in loose array
  1667, John Milton, “Book II”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […]; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873,
6. Relaxed.
7. Not precise or exact; vague; indeterminate.
  Quotations
  The comparison employed […] must be considered rather as a loose analogy than as an exact scientific explanation.
  1858, William Whewell, The history of scientific ideas
8. Indiscreet.
9. (somewhat dated) Free from moral restraint; immoral, unchaste.
  Quotations
  In all these he was much and deeply read; / But not a page of any thing that's loose, / Or hints continuation of the species, / Was ever suffer'd, lest he should grow vicious.
  1819, Lord Byron, Don Juan, section I
  to seeke her errant Knight; / And then againe resolu'd to hunt him out / Amongst loose Ladies, lapped in delight
  1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book V, Canto VI”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, stanza 5
  the loose morality which he had learned
  1826, [Walter Scott], Woodstock; Or, The Cavalier. […], volumes (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green
10. (not comparable, sports) Not being in the possession of any competing team during a game.
  Quotations
  Tomas Rosicky released the left-back with a fine pass but his low cross was cut out by Ivan Marcano. However the Brazilian was able to collect the loose ball, cut inside and roll a right-footed effort past Franco Costanzo at his near post.
  2011 September 28, Tom Rostance, “Arsenal 2 - 1 Olympiakos”, in BBC Sport‎
11. (dated) Not costive; having lax bowels.
  Quotations
  People that are very loose, have seldom strong Thoughts, or strong Bodies
  1693, [John Locke], “(please specify the section number)”, in Some Thoughts Concerning Education, London: […] A[wnsham] and J[ohn] Churchill, […]
12. (of volumes of materials) Measured loosely stacked or disorganized (such as of firewood).
13. (US, slang, motor racing, of a stock car) Having oversteer.
14. (slang, vulgar, of either a woman's anus or vagina) abnormally wide after multiple penetrations due to having had sexual intercourse multiple times.
noun
plural looses
1. (archery) The release of an arrow.
  Quotations
  In throwing a Dart, or Iavelin, wee force back our armes, to make our loose the stronger.
  1641, Ben Jonson, Discoveries Made upon Men and Matter‎
2. (obsolete) A state of laxity or indulgence; unrestrained freedom, abandonment.
  Quotations
  They give a loose to their feelings on proper occasions.
  1847 January – 1848 July, William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair […], London: Bradbury and Evans […], published 1848
3. (rugby) All play other than set pieces (scrums and line-outs).
  Quotations
  The defeat will leave manager Martin Johnson under pressure after his gamble of pairing Jonny Wilkinson and Toby Flood at 10 and 12 failed to ignite the England back line, while his forwards were repeatedly second best at the set-piece and in the loose.
  2011, Tom Fordyce, Rugby World Cup 2011: England 12-19 France‎
4. Freedom from restraint.
  Quotations
  Vent all its griefs, and give a loose to sorrow.
  1712 (date written), [Joseph] Addison, Cato, a Tragedy. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], published 1713, Act I, scene iv, page 1
  The doctor now interposed, and prevented the effects of a wrath which was kindling between Jones and Thwackum; after which the former gave a loose to mirth, sang two or three amorous songs, and fell into every frantic disorder which unbridled joy is apt to inspire […]
  1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volumes (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […]
5. A letting go; discharge.
interjection
1. (archery) begin shooting; release your arrows

loose²

verb
1. Misspelling of lose.

Definition of "loose"

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adjective

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noun

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interjection

loose2

verb

loose¹

loose²