lose

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See also Lose

Contents

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

Old English losian

[edit] Pronunciation

[edit] Verb

Infinitive
to lose

Third person singular
loses

Simple past
lost

Past participle
lost

Present participle
losing

to lose (third-person singular simple present loses, present participle losing, simple past and past participle lost)

  1. (transitive) To cause (something) to cease to be in one's possession or capability due to unfortunate or unknown circumstances, events or reasons.
    I lost the ten pound note. I must have dropped it.
    He lost his hearing in the explosion.
    She lost her position when the company was taken over.
  2. (transitive) To fail to win (a game, competition, trial, etc). Often followed by out
    We lost the match.
    We lost out to Sweden in the final.
  3. (transitive) To shed (weight); to reduce.
    I’ve lost five pounds this week.
  4. (transitive) To have (a relative or friend) die.
    She lost all her sons in the war.
  5. (transitive) To be unable to follow or trace (somebody or something) any longer.
    The policeman lost the robber he was chasing.
    Mission control lost the satellite as its signal died down.
  6. (transitive) (informal) To shed, remove, discard, or eliminate.
    When we get into the building, please lose the hat.
  7. (intransitive) To fail to be the winner.
    Did you win this time? - No, I lost again.
  8. Of a clock, to run slower than expected.
    My watch loses five minutes a week.

[edit] Usage notes

  • Do not confuse lose with loose.

[edit] Synonyms

  • (cause to cease to be in one's possession): leave behind, mislay
  • (fail to win (something)):
  • (shed (weight)): drop, shed
  • (have (somebody of one's kin) die):
  • (be unable to follow or trace (somebody or something) any longer):
  • (shed, remove, discard, eliminate): ditch, drop, dump, get rid of, jettison
  • (fail to win (intransitive)):
  • (last):

[edit] Antonyms

[edit] Derived terms

See also losing and lost

[edit] Translations

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.

[edit] German

[edit] Etymology

Old High German lōs

[edit] Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈloːzə/

[edit] Adjective

lose

  1. loose
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