1. Archery. The act of discharging an arrow.
1519. Horman, Vulg., 283 b. Geue a smarte lose with thyn arowe and thy stryng.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 160 b. In the loose of the stryng … the … arowe is caryed to the marke.
1545. Ascham, Toxoph., II. (Arb.), 146. An other I sawe whiche,… after the loose, lyfted vp his ryght legge.
1622. Drayton, Poly-olb., xxvi. 338. The loose gaue such a twang, as might be heard a myle.
1636. B. Jonson, Discov. (1641), 115. In throwing a Dart, or Iavelin, wee force back our armes, to make our loose the stronger.
1879. M. & W. H. Thompson, Archery, iii. 22. The loose being the delicate part of archery, a very small defect in the archer’s gear will materially affect the smoothness of the loose.
fig. 1599. Warn. Faire Wom., II. 394. The only mark whereat foul Murther shot, Just in the loose of envious eager death,… Escap’d the arrow aim’d at his heart.
1599. B. Jonson, Ev. Man out of Hum., III. iii. Her braine’s a quiuer of iests, and she do’s dart them abroad with that sweete loose and iudiciall aime, that [etc.].
1703. De Foe, True-born Eng., Explan. Pref. 4. To allow me a Loose at the Crimes of the Guilty.
† 2. The conclusion or close of a matter; upshot, issue, event. At (or in) the (very) loose: at the last moment. Obs.
1588. Shaks., L. L. L., V. ii. 752. The extreme parts of time, extremelie formes All causes to the purpose of his speed: And often at the verie loose decides That, which long processe could not arbitrate.
1589. Puttenham, Eng. Poesie, III. xvi. (Arb.), 184. We vse to say marke the loose of a thing for marke the end of it.
1600. Holland, Livy, X. xxxv. 376. In the verie loose and retreat, rather than in the combat and medley, they found that many more were hurt and slain of their part. Ibid., XXII. ix. 437. The late battell … was more joious and fortunat in the loose and parting, than light and easie in the conflict and fighting. Ibid. (1601), Pliny, II. 403. A smacke it [a fountain] hath resembling the rust of yron, howbeit this tast is not perceiued but at the end and loose only.
1608. Bp. Hall, Epistles, I. iii. How all godless plots, in their loose, have at once deceived, shamed, punished their author.
1612. Bacon, Ess., Cunning (Arb.), 442. You shall see them finde out pretty looses in the conclusion, but are no waies able to examine or debate matters.
1647. Sanderson, Serm., II. 209. The unjust steward … resolveth … to shew his master a trick at the loose, that should make amends for all, and do his whole business.
† 3. A state or condition of looseness, laxity or unrestraint; hence, free indulgence; unrestrained action or feeling; abandonment. Chiefly in phr. At (a or the) loose: in a state of laxity or freedom; unrestrained, unbridled, lax. To take a loose: to give oneself up to indulgence. Obs. exc. as in b.
1593. ‘P. Foulface,’ Bacchus Bountie, C. After these came young Cicero, who for the large loose that he had in turning downe his liquor, was called Bicongius.
a. 1626. W. Sclater, 2 Thess. (1629), 86. Saint Paul stickes not to impute demencie to seduced Galathians…. In his loose, imputes no lesse then … madnesse or losse of wits vnto them.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., V. v. 240. Although they act themselves at distance, and seem to be at loose; yet doe they hold a continuity with their Maker.
1657. Burton’s Diary (1828), II. 43. I would have you as careful in penning the clause as may be, but not wholly to leave these things at a loose.
1703. Rowe, Fair Penit., I. i. Melts in his Arms, and with a loose she loves.
1703. C. Leslie, in S. Parker, trans. Eusebius’ 10 Bks. Eccl. Hist., p. xvi. From all this, that dreadful Loose has proceeded of Prophaness, and open Im-moralities, which we now see before our Eyes.
1706. Mary Astell, Refl. Marriage, 13. The Man takes a loose, what shou’d hinder him?
a. 1734. North, Lives (1826), III. 75. Such looses and escapes as almost all men there [in Turkey] are more or less guilty of.
1760–72. H. Brooke, Fool of Qual. (1809), IV. 24. In the midst of all his enjoyments, of a loose to the gratification of every sensual desire.
b. To give a loose (occas. give loose) to: to allow (a person) unrestrained freedom or laxity; to give full vent to (feelings, etc.); to free from restraint. occas. To give (a horse) the rein.
1685. Dryden, Horace’s Ode, I. xxix. 21. Come, give thy Soul a loose, and taste the pleasures of the poor.
1709. Steele, Tatler, No. 8, ¶ 6. They now give a Loose to their Moan.
1712. Addison, Spect., No. 327, ¶ 11. The Poets have given a loose to their Imaginations in the Description of Angels.
1735. Somerville, Chase, III. 84. Now give a Loose to the clean gen’rous Steed.
1752. Fielding, Amelia, IV. ix. Amelia’s inclinations, when she gave a loose to them, were pretty eager for this diversion.
1770. Burke, Pres. Discont., Sel. Wks. 1897, I. 72. They gave themselves … a full loose for all manner of dissipation.
1823. Scott, Quentin D., xxviii. He … gave loose … to agitation, which, in public, he had found himself able to suppress so successfully.
1858. Thackeray, Virgin. (1879), I. 391. The little boy … gave a loose to his innocent tongue, and asked many questions.
1876. Bancroft, Hist. U.S., VI. xxxviii. 195. Were I to indulge my present feelings, and give loose to that freedom of expression which [etc.].
† 4. The act of letting go or parting with something. Phrase, a cheerful loose. Obs.
1615. S. Ward, Coal fr. Altar, 28. Without zeale the widowes mites are no better then the rest; It is the cheerefull loose [ed. 1627 lose], that doubleth the gift.
1667. J. Howard, All Mistaken, III. (1672), 33. Ping. I must run with my Breeches in My hand, my Purge visits my Bumgut So intollerable often. Doct. Now Sir for a Cheerful Loose.
† 5. The action of getting free, the fact of being set free, liberation, release. To make a loose from: to get away from the company of. Obs.
1663. Dryden, Wild Gallant, I. ii. I must make a loose from her, there’s no other way. Ibid. (1672), Marr. à la Mode, II. i. I was just making a loose from Doralice, to pay my respects to you.
a. 1734. North, Lives (1826), II. 177. After his first loose from the university, where the new philosophy was then but just entering.
† 6. An impetuous course or rush. Obs.
1700. Prior, Carmen Sec., 217. The fiery Pegasus … runs with an unbounded loose.
1735. Somerville, Chase, III. 150. Hah! yet he flies, nor yields To black Despair. But one Loose more, and all His Wiles are vain.
1737. Bracken, Farriery Impr. (1757), II. 148. It is running a Horse in Looses or in Pushes that makes the Sweat come out best.
7. Comb.: † loose-giving.
1567. Maplet, Gr. Forest, 52 b. Isidore saith that the best of it [myrrh] cummeth by resolution and loose-giving within it-selfe. [Isid. Etym. XVII. viii. 4 Gutta ejus sponte manans pretiosior est.]
