Loose — Defs

01 a. Unbound; untied; unsewed; not attached, fastened, fixed, or confined; as, the loose sheets of a book.

1.
Unbound; untied; unsewed; not attached, fastened, fixed, or confined; as, the loose sheets of a book.
“Her hair, nor loose, nor tied in formal plat.” — Shak.
2.
Free from constraint or obligation; not bound by duty, habit, etc.; -- with from or of.
“Now I stand Loose of my vow; but who knows Cato's thoughts ?” — Addison.
3.
Not tight or close; as, a loose garment.
4.
Not dense, close, compact, or crowded; as, a cloth of loose texture.
“With horse and chariots ranked in loose array.” — Milton.
5.
Not precise or exact; vague; indeterminate; as, a loose style, or way of reasoning.
“The comparison employed . . . must be considered rather as a loose analogy than as an exact scientific explanation.” — Whewel.
6.
Not strict in matters of morality; not rigid according to some standard of right.
“The loose morality which he had learned.” — Sir W. Scott.
7.
Unconnected; rambling.
“Vario spends whole mornings in running over loose and unconnected pages.” — I. Watts.
8.
Lax; not costive; having lax bowels.
9.
Dissolute; unchaste; as, a loose man or woman.
“Loose ladies in delight.” — Spenser.
10.
Containing or consisting of obscene or unchaste language; as, a loose epistle.

Phrases & compounds

At loose ends — not in order; in confusion; carelessly managed.

Fast and loose — See under Fast.

To break loose — See under Break.

Loose pulley — See Fast and loose pulleys, under Fast.

To let loose — to free from restraint or confinement; to set at liberty.

02 n. Freedom from restraint.

1.
Freedom from restraint.[Obs.]
2.
A letting go; discharge.
“Vent all its griefs, and give a loose to sorrow.” — Addison.

Phrases & compounds

To give a loose — to give freedom.

03 v. n. To untie or unbind; to free from any fastening; to remove the shackles or fastenings of; to set free; to relieve.

imp. & p. p. Loosed; p. pr. & vb. n. Loosing

1.
To untie or unbind; to free from any fastening; to remove the shackles or fastenings of; to set free; to relieve.
“Canst thou . . . loose the bands of Orion ?” — Job. xxxviii. 31.

“Ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her; loose them, and bring them unto me.” — Matt. xxi. 2.
2.
To release from anything obligatory or burdensome; to disengage; hence, to absolve; to remit.
“Art thou loosed from a wife ? seek not a wife.” — 1 Cor. vii. 27.

“Whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” — Matt. xvi. 19.
3.
To relax; to loosen; to make less strict.
“The joints of his loins were loosed.” — Dan. v. 6.
4.
To solve; to interpret.[Obs.]

04 v. i. To set sail.