01 v. t. To part with unintentionally or unwillingly, as by accident, misfortune, negligence, penalty, forfeit, etc.; to be deprived of; as, to lose…
imp. & p. p.
Lost; p. pr. & vb. n.
Losing
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1.
To part with unintentionally or unwillingly, as by accident, misfortune, negligence, penalty, forfeit, etc.; to be deprived of; as, to lose money from one's purse or pocket, or in business or gaming; to lose an arm or a leg by amputation; to lose men in battle.“Fair Venus wept the sad disaster Of having lost her favorite dove.” — Prior.
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2.
To cease to have; to possess no longer; to suffer diminution of; as, to lose one's relish for anything; to lose one's health.“If the salt hath lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted?” — Matt. v. 13.
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3.
Not to employ; to employ ineffectually; to throw away; to waste; to squander; as, to lose a day; to lose the benefits of instruction.“The unhappy have but hours, and these they lose.” — Dryden.
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4.
To wander from; to miss, so as not to be able to and; to go astray from; as, to lose one's way.“He hath lost his fellows.” — Shak.
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5.
To ruin; to destroy; as destroy; as, the ship was lost on the ledge.“The woman that deliberates is lost.” — Addison.
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6.
To be deprived of the view of; to cease to see or know the whereabouts of; as, he lost his companion in the crowd.“Like following life thro' creatures you dissect, You lose it in the moment you detect.” — Pope.
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7.
To fail to obtain or enjoy; to fail to gain or win; hence, to fail to catch with the mind or senses; to miss; as, I lost a part of what he said.“He shall in no wise lose his reward.” — Matt. x. 42.“I fought the battle bravely which I lost, And lost it but to Macedonians.” — Dryden.
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8.
To cause to part with; to deprive of.[R.]“How should you go about to lose him a wife he loves with so much passion?” — Sir W. Temple.
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9.
To prevent from gaining or obtaining.“O false heart! thou hadst almost betrayed me to eternal flames, and lost me this glory.” — Baxter.“In the excitement of such a discovery, many scholars lost their heads.” — Whitney.
Phrases & compounds
To lose ground —
to fall behind; to suffer gradual loss or disadvantage.
To lose heart —
to lose courage; to become timid.
To lose one's head —
to be thrown off one's balance; to lose the use of one's good sense or judgment, through fear, anger, or other emotion.