lose

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See also Lose

Contents

English [edit]

Etymology [edit]

From Middle English losen, from Old English losian.

Pronunciation [edit]

Verb [edit]

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.
    If you lose that ten pound note, you'll be sorry.
    He lost his hearing in the explosion.
    She lost her position when the company was taken over.
    • 2011 April 15, Saj Chowdhury, “Norwich 2 - 1 Nott'm Forest”, BBC Sport:
      Forest, who lost striker Kris Boyd to injury seconds before half-time, produced little after the break, with a Tyson sliced shot from 12 yards their only opportunity of note.
  2. (transitive) To have (an organ) removed from one's body, especially by accident.
    Johnny lost a tooth, but kept it for the tooth fairy.
    He lost his spleen in a car wreck.
  3. (transitive) To fail to win (a game, competition, trial, etc).
    We lost the match.
  4. (transitive) To shed (weight); to reduce.
    I’ve lost five pounds this week.
  5. (transitive) To experience the death of (someone to whom one has an attachment, such as a relative or friend).
    She lost all her sons in the war.
  6. (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.
  7. (transitive, informal) To shed, remove, discard, or eliminate.
    When we get into the building, please lose the hat.
  8. Of a clock, to run slower than expected.
    My watch loses five minutes a week.
    It's already 5:30? My watch must have lost a few minutes.
  9. To cause (someone) the loss of something; to deprive of.
    • 2002, Colin Jones, The Great Nation, Penguin 2003, p. 556:
      This lost Catholicism [...] any semblance of a claim to special status, and also highlighted the gains which other religious formations had derived from the Revolution.

Usage notes [edit]

  • Do not confuse lose with loose.

Synonyms [edit]

  • (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):

Antonyms [edit]

Derived terms [edit]

Translations [edit]

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.

Anagrams [edit]


German [edit]

Etymology [edit]

Old High German lōs

Pronunciation [edit]

  • IPA: /ˈloːzə/

Adjective [edit]

lose

  1. loose

Declension [edit]

Verb [edit]

lose

  1. First-person singular present of losen.
  2. First-person singular subjunctive I of losen.
  3. Third-person singular subjunctive I of losen.
  4. Imperative singular of losen.