loose
[adjective]
Synonyms:
- untied, free, insecure, unattached, unbound, unfastened, unfettered, unrestricted
- slack, easy, relaxed, sloppy
- vague, ill-defined, imprecise, inaccurate, indistinct, inexact, rambling, random
- promiscuous, abandoned, debauched, dissipated, dissolute, fast, immoral, profligate
[verb]
Synonyms:
- free, detach, disconnect, liberate, release, set free, unfasten, unleash, untie

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Antonyms: strict, tight, tighten
Contrasted words: rigid, rigorous, stringent, taut, tense, exact, precise, bound, checked, curbed, inhibited, restrained, tied, fast, compressed, condensed, contracted, concentrated, crammed, crowded, localized, close, compact, dense, thick, bind, engage, fasten, fix, secure, anchor, cement, clamp, clinch, knit, set, tauten
Related Words: detached, free, flabby, flaccid, limp, desultory, negligent, remiss, clear, disconnected, unattached, unconnected, undone, unfastened, disjointed, separate, capricious, extravagant, inconstant, reckless, unrestrained, unbandage, unbar, unbolt, unbuckle, unbutton, unchain, unclasp, unglue, unhitch, unhook, unlace, unlash, unlatch, unlock, unpin, unscrew, unsnap, unstick, unstrap, untie, abate, alleviate, bate, lessen, let up, mitigate

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. loose¹ S3 W3 /luːs/ adjective
[Date: 1100-1200; Language: Old Norse; Origin: lauss]

1. NOT FIRMLY ATTACHED not firmly fastened in place:
a loose floorboard
This tooth feels very loose.
The screw has come loose (=became loose).
► Do not confuse the adjective loose /luːs/ with the verb lose /luːz/ (=stop having something, become unable to find something etc): They thought they might lose their jobs.

2. NOT ATTACHED not attached to anything else:
loose papers
His rear wheel spun on the loose stones.
The potatoes are sold loose (=not packed in a container).
The driver had forgotten to fasten the safety chain and the trailer came loose (=became unattached).

3. NOT TIED TIGHTLY not tied or fastened very tightly:
a loose knot

4. HAIR if your hair is loose, it hangs freely rather than being tied back:
Her hair fell loose around her shoulders.

5. CLOTHES loose clothes are big and do not fit your body tightly Synonym : loose-fitting, baggy Antonym : tight:
a loose sweatshirt

6. FREE free from being controlled or held in a cage, prison, or institution
break/get loose (=escape)
A 34-year-old inmate broke loose from the sheriff’s office yesterday.
turn/let/set something loose (=let something go free)
Don’t let your dog loose on the beach.

7. NOT EXACT [usually before noun] not exact or thoroughly done:
a loose translation
a loose interpretation of the law

8. NOT VERY CONTROLLED not strictly controlled or organized
loose federation/alliance/group etc
a loose federation of political groups
loose arrangement (=an arrangement that can easily be changed)

9. NOT SOLID not pressed tightly together in a solid mass
loose soil/earth

10. SPORT not under the control of either team in a game of football, rugby etc:
Sheringham was the first player to reach the loose ball.

11. cut loose
a) to free yourself from someone or something, or their influence
cut yourself loose (from something)
He cut himself loose from the constraints of family life.
b) American English informal to start enjoying yourself in a happy noisy way after a period of controlled behaviour:
I’m ready to cut loose and enjoy the weekend.

12. let (something ↔) loose to speak or behave in an uncontrolled way:
She let loose a string of four-letter words.

13. let somebody loose on something to allow someone to deal with something in the way they want to, when you think they will make mistakes or do something wrong:
Whatever you do, don’t let Derek loose on the garden.

14. be at a loose end (also be at loose ends American English) to have nothing to do:
I was at a loose end so I decided to go see an old movie.

15. loose ends parts of something that have not been completed or correctly done:
We’ve nearly finished, but there are still a few loose ends to be tied up (=dealt with or completed).

16. loose change coins that you have in your bag or pocket

17. loose cannon someone who cannot be trusted because they say or do things you do not want them to

18. hang/stay loose American English spoken used to tell someone to stay calm, or not to worry about something

19. BODY WASTE having a problem in which the waste from your bowels has too much liquid in it:
loose bowels

20. IMMORAL old-fashioned behaving in a way that is considered to be sexually immoral:
a loose woman
loose morals

21. TALK old-fashioned not careful about what you say or who is listening:
There’s been a bit of loose talk about it.
—loosely adverb:
A towel was loosely wrapped around his neck.
The film is loosely based on the novel.
—looseness noun [uncountable]

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. loose² verb [transitive] literary

1. to make something unpleasant begin:
And now the anger Maggie had feared was loosed.

2. to make something loose or to untie someone or something, especially an animal

3. to fire an arrow, a bullet from a gun etc
loose something on/upon somebody/something phrasal verb
literary to allow something dangerous or harmful to begin to affect a situation or other people:
the evils loosed upon humanity in World War II

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

III. loose³ noun
be on the loose if a criminal or dangerous animal is on the loose, they have escaped from prison or from their cage

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

loose
adj.
I. not firmly fixed
VERBS be, feel, seem One of the bricks feels slightly loose.
come, shake, work The top of the tap has come loose. A screw had worked loose from the door handle.
prise sth
ADV. a bit, rather, slightly

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

loose
II. not tied back
VERBS be, hang Her hair hung loose about her shoulders.
leave sth, wear sth Shall I wear my hair loose?

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

loose
III. not shut in or tied up
VERBS be | cut (figurative), break, get The animals had broken loose from their pens. (figurative) The organization broke loose from its sponsors. He felt he had to cut loose from his family.
let sth, turn sth I'm going to let the dogs loose.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

loose
lu:s
See: at loose ends , cast off or cast loose , cut loose , fast and loose , have a screw loose , let loose or set loose or turn loose , on the loose

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲