loose (adj.)

  1. not compact or dense in structure or arrangement; loose gravel'

  2. not tight; not closely constrained or constricted or constricting; loose clothing; the large shoes were very loose'

  3. not affixed; the stamp came loose

    [ Syn: unaffixed ]

    loose (adv.)

  1. without restraint; cows in India are running loose

    [ Syn: free , free , free , free , free , free , free , free ]

    loose (adj.)

  1. lacking a sense of restraint or responsibility; idle talk; a loose tongue

    [ Syn: idle ]

  2. not carefully arranged in a package; a box of loose nails'

  3. having escaped, especially from confinement; a convict still at large; searching for two escaped prisoners; dogs loose on the streets; criminals on the loose in the neighborhood

    [ Syn: at large , escaped , on the loose ]

  4. casual and unrestrained in sexual behavior; her easy virtue; he was told to avoid loose (or light) women; wanton behavior

    [ Syn: easy , light , promiscuous , sluttish , wanton ]

  5. (of a ball in sport) not in the possession or control of any player; a loose ball'

  6. not officially recognized or controlled; an informal agreement; a loose organization of the local farmers

    [ Syn: informal ]

  7. not literal; a loose interpretation of what she had been told; a free translation of the poem

    [ Syn: free , liberal ]

  8. emptying easily or excessively; loose bowels

    [ Syn: lax ]

  9. not tense or taut; the old mans skin hung loose and grey; slack and wrinkled skin; slack sails; a slack rope

    [ Syn: slack ]

  10. (of textures) full of small openings or gaps; an open texture; a loose weave

    [ Syn: open ]

    loose (v.)

  1. grant freedom to; free from confinement

    [ Syn: free , liberate , release , unloose , unloosen ]

  2. turn loose or free from restraint; let loose mines; Loose terrible plagues upon humanity

    [ Syn: unleash , let loose ]

  3. make loose or looser; loosen the tension on a rope

    [ Syn: loosen ]

  4. become loose or looser or less tight; The noose loosened; the rope relaxed

    [ Syn: loosen , relax ]

The dictionary is based on the WordNet Electronic Lexical Database.
WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2011 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.