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Loose or Lose?? 2
- Thread starter tresanus
- Start date
KenCunningham
Technical User
Loosen I think implies a reduction in grip, but not a complete failure to grip. Loose can mean to let go - as in 'loose the dogs of war' if my shaky Shakespeare is correct.
Then of course, there's playing 'fast and loose' whatever that means ;-)
Some days are diamonds, some days are rocks - make sure most are the former.
Then of course, there's playing 'fast and loose' whatever that means ;-)
Some days are diamonds, some days are rocks - make sure most are the former.
It very much depends on context I suspect.
I have a loose waistband waistband (W00T!)
or
I have a loose grip on reality (isn't that the truth)
or
I hope you don't lose your grip on it all (might be a bit late though)
Fee
"The cure for anything is salt water – sweat, tears, or the sea." Isak Dinesen
I have a loose waistband waistband (W00T!)
or
I have a loose grip on reality (isn't that the truth)
or
I hope you don't lose your grip on it all (might be a bit late though)
Fee
"The cure for anything is salt water – sweat, tears, or the sea." Isak Dinesen
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1
- #4
SantaMufasa
Technical User
The words lose and loose are often confused, maily because loose looks like how the verb lose should be spelled, but the two words differ in both meaning and in pronunciation:[ul][li]lose (pronunciation: looz) verb. Meaning (in the sense that Tresanus originally posted): to fail to keep, sustain, or maintain[/li][li]loose (pronunciation: loos) verb. Note: as a verb, loose is generally considered archaic and has typically been replaced by the verb to loosen. Meaning (perhaps in the sense that Tresanus originally posted): 1 a: to let loose : release b: to free from restraint
2: to make loose : untie <loose a knot>
3: to cast loose : detach
4: to let fly : discharge
5: to make less rigid, tight, or strict : relax[/li][/ul]Even though the term loose has senses that seem to match the sense that Tresanus originally posted, keep in mind that none of the senses mean to fail to keep, sustain, or maintain, which, I believe was at the center of the original discussion.
In any case, the word loose is always pronounced "loos" (rhyming with "goose", not "ooze" as does "lose"
, which may help to determine which word is appropriate. Alternately, if one can replace "loose" with "loosen", without affecting the meaning, then "loose" (archaic) or "loosen" is appropriate. If the intent is that something is "lost" after you "lose" it, then "lose" is appropriate.
Did any of this help?
![[santa]](/data/assets/smilies/santa.gif "[santa] [santa]")
Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[I provide low-cost, remote Database Administration services: www.dasages.com]
“Beware of those that seek to protect you from harm or risk. The cost will be your freedoms and your liberty.”
2: to make loose : untie <loose a knot>
3: to cast loose : detach
4: to let fly : discharge
5: to make less rigid, tight, or strict : relax[/li][/ul]Even though the term loose has senses that seem to match the sense that Tresanus originally posted, keep in mind that none of the senses mean to fail to keep, sustain, or maintain, which, I believe was at the center of the original discussion.
In any case, the word loose is always pronounced "loos" (rhyming with "goose", not "ooze" as does "lose"
, which may help to determine which word is appropriate. Alternately, if one can replace "loose" with "loosen", without affecting the meaning, then "loose" (archaic) or "loosen" is appropriate. If the intent is that something is "lost" after you "lose" it, then "lose" is appropriate.Did any of this help?
Mufasa(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[I provide low-cost, remote Database Administration services: www.dasages.com]
“Beware of those that seek to protect you from harm or risk. The cost will be your freedoms and your liberty.”
- Thread starter
- #5
I think it depends on what "person a" truly meant. Did they mean that their grip has been lost or that it is not as tight.
I still personally think it is correct to say,
I wouldn't want you to loosen your grip
-or-
I wouldn't want you to lose your grip
I think I wouldn't want you to loosen your grip is incorrect
I'm going to have to side with "person b" for the win!
Thanks SantaDaveMufasa I was waiting for your clarification
I still personally think it is correct to say,
I wouldn't want you to loosen your grip
-or-
I wouldn't want you to lose your grip
I think I wouldn't want you to loosen your grip is incorrect
I'm going to have to side with "person b" for the win!
Thanks SantaDaveMufasa I was waiting for your clarification
AnotherHiggins
Technical User
(underlines and red emphases mine)tresanus said:
Huh? The two lines in red are identical.
I think "person a" could conceivably claim that they actually meant to use 'loose,' but that such a claim would be disingenuous, made only in an attempt to save face. I think it's funny that "person a" quoted some dictionary's 27th definition in support of his position.
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[tab][red]The plural of anecdote is not data[/red]
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- Thread starter
- #7
to "loose" is to "let loose". A well-known example is
<'loose the dogs of war'
It's
The full quote is (Ahem)
And Caesar's spirit, raging for revenge,
With Ate by his side come hot from hell,
Shall in these confines with a monarch's voice
Cry "Havoc!" and let slip the dogs of war,
That this foul deed shall smell above the earth
With carrion men, groaning for burial.
Julius Caesar Act 3, scene 1, 270–275
<'loose the dogs of war'
It's
as anyone familiar with "Star Trek: the Wrath of Khan" will remember.
The full quote is (Ahem)
And Caesar's spirit, raging for revenge,
With Ate by his side come hot from hell,
Shall in these confines with a monarch's voice
Cry "Havoc!" and let slip the dogs of war,
That this foul deed shall smell above the earth
With carrion men, groaning for burial.
Julius Caesar Act 3, scene 1, 270–275
Olaf Doschke
Programmer
I'd say person b is better educated, as he knows there are two different words, while person a seems to think that to loose is the verb(ial) form of lose, which is total nonsense.
Like Santa said it's depending on the context what is meant, to totally lose the grip or to loosen the grip a bit.
It's rather easy to remember that it's better to be a looser than a loser.
Or think about programming, loose coupling, although here it is an adjective.
That may be even the reason person a thinks of the one word as being a verb, the other being an adjective. But he's got it wrong then, loose is the adjective and lose the verb. But loose is only loosely couppled to lose, it would rather be lost as analogon and to loose or I think more common to loosen is also a verb. So you've got: 1. To lose something means it's lost and 2. To loosen something means it will be loose. Two differnt word families loosely coupled. Well, maybe eveng strongly, but still havving a little different meaning...
Bye, Olaf.
Like Santa said it's depending on the context what is meant, to totally lose the grip or to loosen the grip a bit.
It's rather easy to remember that it's better to be a looser than a loser.
Or think about programming, loose coupling, although here it is an adjective.
That may be even the reason person a thinks of the one word as being a verb, the other being an adjective. But he's got it wrong then, loose is the adjective and lose the verb. But loose is only loosely couppled to lose, it would rather be lost as analogon and to loose or I think more common to loosen is also a verb. So you've got: 1. To lose something means it's lost and 2. To loosen something means it will be loose. Two differnt word families loosely coupled. Well, maybe eveng strongly, but still havving a little different meaning...
Bye, Olaf.
SantaMufasa
Technical User
Several years ago, Samuel Cohen developed the Neutron Bomb, which kills people but leaves buildings intact. In the context of this thread, Cohen's invention reminds me of the French Lautrec-Neutron Bomb, which does not harm buildings or people...it just makes you Toulouse. <grin>
Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[I provide low-cost, remote Database Administration services: www.dasages.com]
“Beware of those that seek to protect you from harm or risk. The cost will be your freedoms and your liberty.”
Mufasa(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[I provide low-cost, remote Database Administration services: www.dasages.com]
“Beware of those that seek to protect you from harm or risk. The cost will be your freedoms and your liberty.”
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1
- #11
Olaf Doschke
Programmer
At least I don't have my spelling errors tattoed.
Bye, Olaf.
Bye, Olaf.
- Moderator
- #14
Heh..... it reminds me of a friend who used to run a dial-up BBS.
On his main opening page, it proudly stated "We are open 7 days a weak!"
<chuckle>
Just my 2¢
"What the captain doesn't realize is that we've secretly replaced his Dilithium Crystals with new Folger's Crystals."
--Greg
On his main opening page, it proudly stated "We are open 7 days a weak!"
<chuckle>
Just my 2¢
"What the captain doesn't realize is that we've secretly replaced his Dilithium Crystals with new Folger's Crystals."
--Greg
I love failblog.
Just had to say that.
If work gets me down, a short trip to failblog or a random slashdot article (and then searching for "funny") always brightens me back up.
~
“Your request is not unlike your lower intestine: stinky, and loaded with danger.” — Ace Ventura.
Just had to say that.
If work gets me down, a short trip to failblog or a random slashdot article (and then searching for "funny") always brightens me back up.
~
“Your request is not unlike your lower intestine: stinky, and loaded with danger.” — Ace Ventura.
I come to this one late, but here's my two cents. Taking SantaMufasa's definitions:
1 a: to let loose : release
b: to free from restraint
2: to make loose : untie <loose a knot>
3: to cast loose : detach
4: to let fly : discharge
5: to make less rigid, tight, or strict : relax
I would say that "loose" has been pretty much replaced by "loosen" in every sense but that of number 4.
However, mere anarchy is still loosed upon the world, "He" hath still loosed the fateful lightning of his terrible swift sword, and while it's doubtful that one might loose one's grip on the world, one might certainly loose one's ignorance (I'll leave it to others to determine whether person a is guilty of having done so) upon it.
Bob
1 a: to let loose : release
b: to free from restraint
2: to make loose : untie <loose a knot>
3: to cast loose : detach
4: to let fly : discharge
5: to make less rigid, tight, or strict : relax
I would say that "loose" has been pretty much replaced by "loosen" in every sense but that of number 4.
However, mere anarchy is still loosed upon the world, "He" hath still loosed the fateful lightning of his terrible swift sword, and while it's doubtful that one might loose one's grip on the world, one might certainly loose one's ignorance (I'll leave it to others to determine whether person a is guilty of having done so) upon it.
Bob
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