loosed

verbset free; unbind

Word Origin & History

early 13c., "not securely fixed;" c.1300, "unbound," from Old Norse lauss "loose, free, vacant, dissolute," cognate with Old English leas "devoid of, false, feigned, incorrect," from Proto-Germanic *lausaz (cf. Danish løs "loose, untied," Swedish lös "loose, movable, detached," Middle Dutch, German los "loose, free," Gothic laus "empty, vain"), from PIE *leu- "to loosen, divide, cut apart" (see lose). Meaning "not clinging, slack" is mid-15c. Meaning "not bundled" is late 15c. Sense of "unchaste, immoral" is recorded from late 15c. Meaning "at liberty, free from obligation" is 1550s. Sense of "rambling, disconnected" is from 1680s. Figurative sense of loose cannon was in use by 1896, probably from celebrated image in a popular story by Hugo:

Loose end in reference to something unfinished, undecided, unguarded is from 1540s; to be at loose ends is from 1807. Phrase on the loose "free, unrestrained" is from 1749 (upon the loose).

Example Sentences for loosed

Life, that had loosed its hold on him for a time, had found him again.

But the shock to her feelings had loosed the good woman's vocabulary.

Peter slammed its door to, crushing them so that he loosed his grip, with a howl.

An aide arrived with an order to Hertford, and then he loosed his eager cavalry.

It's the wail of a lost spirit, loosed temporarily from the horrors of purgatory.

The instant the door broke, Robin and Marian loosed their arrows.

I swear the arrow was as good as any that hath been loosed this day.

Then she loosed a pen-knife with a blade as thin as paper from her silken girdle.

“Good-night, Adelaide,” I said, inaudibly; and she loosed my hand.

I loosed off my revolver as fast as I could, and —— loosed off his rifle from the saddle.

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Synonyms for loosed

verb set free; unbind

loosed

Synonyms for loosed

Antonyms for loosed