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loose

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adjective British English pronunciation: loose /luːs/ 
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adjectiveloose
comparativelooser
superlativeloosest
 
  1. 1
    not firmly fixed in position

    loose floorboards

    a loose tooth

    work/come loose (=become loose):

    One of the screws had worked loose.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  looseThesaurus entry for this meaning of loose
    1. a.
      if your hair is loose, it is not tied in position

      Her hair was loose and hung on her shoulders.

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  looseThesaurus entry for this meaning of loose
    2. b.
      not forming a firm mass

      loose soil/stones

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  looseThesaurus entry for this meaning of loose
    3. c.
      if a person or animal is loose, they can move around easily because they are not tied to anything, not held by anyone, or not kept inside something

      A large dog was loose in the garden.

      break/shake/get loose (from someone/something) (=become free):

      The woman managed to break loose from her attacker and run for help.

      turn/set/let someone loose (=allow someone to be free):

      The kidnappers had set him loose on a dark country lane.

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  looseThesaurus entry for this meaning of loose
  5. 5
    not strictly organized or official

    a system in which political parties form a loose alliance

    We’ve got a loose arrangement for looking after each other’s children.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  looseThesaurus entry for this meaning of loose
  8. 8
    old-fashioned careless about what you say or who you say it to
    loose talk:

    You’ve been warned about loose talk before.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  looseThesaurus entry for this meaning of loose

This is the British English definition of loose. View American English definition of loose.

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