losel

English

Alternative forms

• lozel

Etymology

From Middle English losel (also lorel), from *losen, loren, past participle of lesen (“to lose”), equivalent to lose +‎ -le.

Pronunciation

• (UK): IPA: /ˈləʊzəl/, X-SAMPA: /"l@Uz@l/
• (US): enPR: lōʹzəl, IPA: /ˈloʊzəl/, X-SAMPA: /"loUz@l/

Noun

losel (plural losels)

1. (archaic) A worthless or despicable person.
   • 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, II.iii:

     The whiles a losell wandring by the way, / One that to bountie neuer cast his mind, / Ne thought of honour euer did assay […].

   • 1843, Thomas Carlyle, Past and Present, book 4, chapter III, The One Institution

     These thousand straight-standing firm-set individuals, who shoulder arms, who march, wheel, advance, retreat; and are, for your behoof, a magazine charged with fiery death, in the most perfect condition of potential activity: few months ago, till the persuasive sergeant came, what were they? Multiform ragged losels, runaway apprentices, starved weavers, thievish valets […]

   • 1954, Philip Larkin, Toads:

     Lots of folk live on their wits: / Lecturers,lispers, / Losels, loblolly-men, louts-- / They don't end up as paupers; […]

   • 1964, Anthony Burgess, The Eve of St Venus:

     ‘Come on, you losel,’ he said to Spatchcock, ‘you privy calligrapher, you. You can carry his bottles. I’ll carry him.’

Derived terms

• loselism
• loselry

Adjective

losel (comparative more losel, superlative most losel)

1. Worthless; wasteful.

Anagrams

• sello