Forms: 3 leowsin (? for lowsin), 4 lauce, laus, lowss, loyse, 4–5 (also 9 dial.) lause, lawse, 4–6 lous, lose, loiss, (also 7–9 dial.) louse, lowse, (5 losyn, louce), 5–6 louss, loss, (6 looce, looze, los, loase, lows, lowis, lewce), 6–7 leuse, 4– loose. Pa. t. 4 laused, etc.; also 5 laust, 6 loust, 7 loost. Pa. pple. 4 laused, etc.; strong (rare) 4 losine, 6 losen. (f. LOOSE a. Cf. LEESE v.2]
1. trans. To let loose, set free; to release (a person, an animal, or their limbs) from bonds or physical restraint.
a. 1225. Juliana, 38. Ichulle þe leowsin [Bodl. MS. lowse] ant leauen hwen me þuncheð.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 14356. [Lazar] in winding clath … was wonden,… ‘Louses him nu,’ he said.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 7884. Deliuert were þo lordes, lawsit of prisone.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, X. 727. Schyr, loss me off my band.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, XI. xii. 589. I requyre the lose me of my boundes.
1497. Extracts Aberd. Reg. (1844), I. 60. And nocht to be lousit out of the goif quhile the saide hour, for nay request.
1530. Palsgr., 615/1. Lowse this prisoner from his yrones, he muste be removed from this gaylle.
1535. Coverdale, Mark xi. 4. They … founde the foale tyed by ye dore … and lowsed it.
1581. Act 23 Eliz., c. 10 § 4. So as they … doe presentlye loose and let goe everye Feasaunte and Partridge so taken.
1611. Bible, Isa. li. 14. The captiue exile hasteneth that he may be loosed.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Past., VI. 38. Loose me, he cry’d, ’twas Impudence to find A sleeping God, ’tis Sacrilege to bind.
1821. Shelley, Prometh. Unb., II. ii. 94. How he [the chained Titan] shall be loosed.
1840. Browning, Sordello, II. 211. Like Perseus when he loosed his naked love.
1865. Trollope, Belton Est., xx. 232. Belton had gone into the stable, and had himself loosed the animal.
b. In immaterial sense: To set free, release, emancipate; † to absolve (a person). Const. from († of).
c. 1340. Richard Rolle of Hampole, Prick of Conscience, 2182. I yhern … be loused away Fra þis life.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, xvi. (Magdalena), 985. Syndry seke men gettis þare hele, & are lousit of mekil payne.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 13250. At the last, fro þat lady, I lausyt myselfe.
c. 1425. Cursor M., 18327 (Trin.). From deþ of helle to lousen vs.
1533. Gau, Richt Vay, 24. Quhil we be lowsit of this mortal body.
1559. Bk. Com. Prayer, Occas. Prayers, Let the pitifulnes of thy great mercy lose vs.
1570–6. Lambarde, Peramb. Kent (1826), 149. Loosing them from al duty of allegiance to their Prince.
1611. Bible, Luke xiii. 12. Woman, thou art loosed from thy infirmitie.
1637–50. Row, Hist. Kirk (1842), 130. It was concluded,… that he shall be lowsed fra the said sentence.
1784. Cowper, Task, II. 39. They [sc. slaves] themselves once ferried o’er the wave That parts us, are emancipate and loosed.
1842. Tennyson, Godiva, 37. She sent a herald forth, And bad him cry,… that she would loose The people.
1902. A. M. Fairbairn, Philos. Chr. Relig., III. II. ii. 542. God as interpreted through Him [Christ] was loosed from the qualities that bound Him to a peculiar people.
c. esp. with allusion to Matt. xvi. 19, xviii. 18. Also absol.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 18189. Quat art þou þat louses þaa Þat formast sin sua band in wa?
a. 1340. Hampole, Pr. Consc., 3852. Alle þat þou lowses in erthe right Sal be loused in heven bright.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, i. (Petrus), 17. To bind and louss quhowm-euer þou will Plane powar is gewin þe þare-till.
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), iii. 9. To wham Godd gaffe full powere for to bynd and to louse.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 225 b. What so euer thou loose in erth, it shall be losen in heuen.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Edw. IV., 199. Havyng full aucthoritie to bynd and to lose, to contracte and conclude.
1567. Gude & Godlie Ball. (S.T.S.), 192. Saif Christ onlie that deit on tre He may baith louse and bind.
1892. E. P. Barlow, Regni Evangelium, i. 57. What they have bound no other hand must loose.
d. To free (the lips, tongue, etc.) from constraint.
a. 1375. Joseph Arim., 49. Louse þi lippes a-twynne & let þe gost worche.
1567. Gude & Godlie Ball. (S.T.S.), 127. My lippis Lord than louse thow sall.
1629. Sir W. Mure, True Crvcifixe, 2283. Now doe the wicked louse their tongues to lyes.
1822. Shelley, Zucca, x. 8. Sounds of softest song … Had loosed the heart of him who sat and wept.
1842. Tennyson, Vision Sin, 88. Let me screw thee up a peg: Let me loose thy tongue with wine.
1902. Expositor, May, 383. The wine loosed the tongues of the guests.
† e. To set free from disease. Obs.
a. 1637. B. Jonson, Praises Country Life, 58. Or the herb Sorrell, that loves Meadows still, Or Mallowes loosing bodyes ill.
2. To undo, untie, unfasten (fetters, a knot); to break (a seal); † occas. with up. † To loose down (Sc.): to unfasten and let down. Now dial. or poet.
a. 1300–1400. Cursor M., 12823 (Gött.). I es noght worthi to louse [Cott. lese] þe thwanges of his scho.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, xix. (Cristofore), 510. Þai … lousit þare beltis spedly.
1388. Wyclif, Acts xvi. 26. Alle the doris weren openyd, and the boondis of alle weren lousid.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 788*. Þus lowtes þis lede on low & lowsys hys chynez.
1530. Palsgr., 494/1. You have so confused this yerne that it can nat be losed asonder. Ibid., 615/2. Lowse the knotte of my garter.
1535. Coverdale, Rev. v. 2. Who is worthy to open the boke, and to loose the scales therof?
c. 1560. A. Scott, Poems (S. T. S.), iv. 42. It settis not madynis als To latt men lowis thair laice.
1563. Mirr. Mag., Somerset, xvi. When the chiefe lynke was lewced fro the chayne.
1591. Spenser, Bellay’s Visions, ix. With side-long beard, and locks down hanging loast.
1725. Ramsay, Gentle Sheph., IV. i. The witch … Lows’d down my breeks.
1742. Young, Nt. Th., V. 30. Wit calls the graces the chaste zone to loose.
1822. Shelley, Triumph Life, 147. They … Throw back their heads and loose their streaming hair.
fig. 1535. Coverdale, Mark vii. 35. His eares were opened, and the bonde of his tonge was lowsed.
1548. Udall, etc., Erasm. Par. Matt. xii. 71. Loused the knot of the question.
c. 1620. A. Hume, Brit. Tongue (1865), 9. The knot [is] harder to louse, for nether syde wantes sum reason.
1713. Addison, Cato, II. i. 20. Other Prospects Have loosed those Ties and bound him fast to Cæsar.
1859. Tennyson, Vivien, 192. Then our bond Had best be loosed for ever.
b. To unlock or unpack (a chest, etc.); to unpack (goods). Also with forth, out; occas. absol. Chiefly Sc.
Phr. (Sc.) † To loose the box: to open one’s coffers, to pay up. † To loose one’s poke, pack: to open one’s budget, to ‘out with it.’
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 2376. He kaȝt to þe knot & þe kest lawsez.
1545. Ascham, Toxoph. (Arb.), 108. Lette vs returne agayne vnto our matter, and those thynges whyche you haue packed vp, in so shorte a roume, we wyll lowse them forthe.
1583. Leg. Bp. St. Androis, 228, in Satir. Poems Reform., xlv. He pat him off with mowis and mockis, And had no will to louse the boxe.
1725. Ramsay, Gentle Sheph., II. i. But loose your poke; be ’t true or fause let’s hear.
1785. Burns, Jolly Beggars, Recit. viii. The jovial thrang The poet did request, To lowse his pack, an’ wale a sang.
1855. Robinson, Whitby Gloss., To Lowse out, to untie, to unloose or unpack goods.
† c. To unjoin or unclasp (hands). Obs.
1548–9. (Mar.) Bk. Com. Prayer, Matrimony, Then shall they … looce theyr handes.
1566. Child-Marriages, 69. Then the[y] losid handes.
1588. Shaks., Tit. A., II. iii. 243. Thy hand once more, I will not loose againe, Till thou art heere aloft, or I below.
d. To detach, cast loose, let go: chiefly Naut. † Also with forth. † To loose out (a knife): to unsheathe it. † Also, to remove (an article of clothing) from the body.
1382. Wyclif, Exod. iii. 5. Lowse thow thi shoyng fro thi feyt.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 2806. Paris … and his pure brother … Lauset loupis fro the le; lachyn in Ancres [L. solutis itaque funibus, subductis anchoris].
c. 1400. Melayne, 1067. The Sarazene … lawses out a knyfe full righte.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, VII. 1160. Bownd on the trest in a creddill to sit, To lous the pyne quhen Wallace leit him witt.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, III. iv. 110. Do lows the rabandis, and lat doun the sail.
1530. Palsgr., 615/2. Lowse your shoe and gyve hym upon the heed withall.
1535. Coverdale, Luke v. 5. Vpon thy worde I wil lowse forth the nett.
a. 1578. Lindesay (Pitscottie), Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.), I. 324. The king … past to his chamber and loussit his claithis and maid him to his bede.
1632. Massinger, City Madam, I. ii. I will not loose a hat To a hairs breadth, move your Bever, I’le move mine.
1669. Sturmy, Mariner’s Mag., I. 16. Therefore up a hand and loose fore Top sail in the Top, that the Ships may see we will Sail.
1706. Phillips (ed. Kersey), s.v. Let-fall, If the Main-Yard, or Fore-Yard be struck down, so that the Sails may be loosed before the Yard be hoised, then the Mariners do not say, Let fall the Sail, but Loose the Sail.
1769. Falconer, Dict. Marine (1780), To Loose, to unfurl or cast loose any sail, in order to be set, or dried, after rainy weather.
1821. Shelley, Boat on Serchio, 88. The chain is loosed, the sails are spread.
1863. Geo. Eliot, Romola, lxi. She loosed the boat from its moorings.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., To loose a rope, to cast it off, or let it go.
e. Sc. To detach the team from (a plow, etc.). Also absol.
c. 1480. Henryson, Mor. Fab., 2253, in Anglia, IX. 471. The oxin waxit mair reulie at the last, Syne efter thay lousit [etc.].
a. 1568. Wyfe of Auchtermuchty, ii. in Bannatyne Poems (1873), 342. He lowsit the pluche at the landis end. Ibid., xiii. 345. She lowisit the plwch and syne come hame.
1791. J. Learmont, Poems, 56. Twa lads … War gaen at pleugh their forenoon yokin: At length baith tir’d wi’ heat o’ noon, They loos’d an’ on the lee lay down.
1893. Crockett, Stickit Minister, 117. He was oot a’ nicht, an’ I havna seen him since he lowsed.
† f. To carve (a pheasant). Obs.
c. 1500. For to serve a Lord, in Babees Bk. (1868), 395. To lose or unlase a fesaunt.
† g. intr. for refl. To come unfastened. Obs.
1760–72. H. Brooke, Fool of Qual. (1809), IV. 84. The picture … suddenly looses from its ribband.
3. † a. To loose the anchor: to weigh anchor. Also, to loose one’s bark. Obs.
c. 1450. St. Cuthbert (Surtees), 675. Þe man went and loused þe ankir.
1555. Eden, Decades (Arb.), 69. They lowsed theyr ankers and departed from Guadalupea.
1567. Turberv., Ovid’s Epist., Q ij b. Auale and lose thy Barcke, take seas.
1596. Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., X. 307. The frenche shipis beginis to lous thair anker, and stryk sail at Bristoo.
b. Hence absol. To weigh anchor. occas. with up.
1526. Tindale, Acts xxvii. 2. We entred into a shippe of Adramicium, and lowsed from lond.
1587. Fleming, Contn. Holinshed, III. 975/1. The baron de la Gard … leused from Déepe with twelue gallies.
1594. Marlowe & Nashe, Dido, IV. iii. To stay my Fleete from loosing forth the Bay.
1635. Foxe & James, Voy. N. W. (Hakluyt Soc.), I. 180. This noone he loost up for the shore.
1677. Lond. Gaz., No. 1245/3. This morning the light Ships that were at Anchor in this Bay, loosed, and are sailed to the Northwards.
1690. W. Walker, Idiomat. Anglo-Lat., 277. Our ship loosed from the harbour.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Loosing for sea, weighing the anchor.
4. To shoot or let fly (an arrow); to let off (a gun). ? Obs.
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), xxiv. 112. Ga and louse ȝone arowes.
1473. Warkw., Chron. (Camden), 8. The Kynge … losyde his gonnys of ordynaunce uppone them.
1530. Palsgr., 615/1. I lowse, as a gonner lowseth a pece of ordonaunce.
1582. N. Lichefield, trans. Castanheda’s Discov. E. Ind., I. lvii. 120. As the Nayre loosed off his arrow.
1599. Shaks., Hen. V., I. ii. 207. As many Arrowes loosed seuerall wayes Come to one marke.
1638. Junius, Paint. Ancients, 324. Such archers … use … to loose their arrowes in a more comely manner.
1814. Cary, Dante, Par., I. 122. That strong cord that never looses dart But at fair aim.
1818. Shelley, Rev. Islam, X. xxvi. Like a shaft loosed by the bowman’s error.
transf. 1820. Shelley, Vis. Sea, 4. When lightning is loosed.
b. absol. or intr. To shoot, let fly. Also said of the gun.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), VII. 77. Þe childe losed and schette.
1530. Palsgr., 615/1. I thought full lytell he wolde have lowsed at me whan I sawe hym drawe his bowe. Ibid., 681/2. Se howe yonder gonne reculeth or ever she lowse.
1545. Ascham, Toxoph. (Arb.), 161. Houlde and nocke trewlye, drawe and lowse equallye.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Hen. VIII., 56 b. Al the .11. C. archers shot and losed at once.
1588. Shaks., Tit. A., IV. iii. 58. (He giues them the Arrowes.) Too it Boy, Marcus loose when I bid.
1603. B. Jonson, Sejanus, III. iii. Nor must he looke at what, or whom to strike, But loose at all.
1889. Rider Haggard, Allan’s Wife, 80. Reserving their fire till the Zulus were packed like sheep in a kraal, they loosed into them with the roers.
1893. Field, 25 March, 456/3. I threw up my gun mechanically, but had no intention of ‘loosing’ at the poor thing.
1900. Daily News, 1 Oct., 7/3. Paget’s artillerymen dashed forward, unlimbered, and loosed on the foe.
c. trans. (transf. and fig.) To give vent to, emit; to cause or allow to proceed from one.
1508. Kennedy, Flyting w. Dunbar, 28. Ramowd rebald, thow fall doun att the roist, My laureat lettres at the and I lowis.
1600. Shaks., A. Y. L., III. v. 103. Loose now and then A scattred smile, and that Ile liue vpon. Ibid. (1601), All’s Well, II. iii. 172. Both my reuenge and hate Loosing vpon thee.
1687. Evelyn, Diary, 19 April. His … delicateness in extending and looseing a note with incomparable softnesse.
1847. Tennyson, Princess, II. 407. And loose A flying charm of blushes o’er this cheek.
† 5. To weaken the adhesion or attachment of; = LOOSEN v. 3; to make unstable or insecure in position. Also intr. for pass. Now only arch.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 957. Þe rayn rueled doun … Gorde to gomorra þat þe grounde laused.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, VI. 253. A gret stane … That throu the gret anciente Was lowsyt, reddy for to fall.
c. 1420. Chron. Vilod., st. 1117. Þen sye he how his fedris weron lewesode ychone.
1523. Fitzherb., Husb., § 126. With the wyndynge of the edderynges thou dost leuse thy stakes and therfore they must nedes be … hardened agayne.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 254. The hole frame of the ioyntes of his body dissolued and losed.
1530. Palsgr., 615/1. I lowse a tree or herbe from the roote. Ibid. Se howe the heate hath made these bordes to lowse asonder.
c. 1550. Lloyd, Treas. Health (? 1550), H iij. A stroke or faul, wherby the ioyntes of the backe bone ar loused.
1611. Bible, Ecclus. xxii. 16. As timbers girt and bound together in a building cannot be loosed with shaking.
1864. Swinburne, Atalanta, 1062. The firm land have they loosed and shaken.
6. To make loose or slack; to loosen, slacken, relax, make less tight; † pass. (of nerves) to be unstrung. † To loose a bridle to: to indulge. Now arch. exc. in colloq. phr. To loose hold: to let go.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 314/1. Losyn, or slakyn, laxo, relaxo.
1530. Palsgr., 720/2. I lowse a thynge that was to strayte tyed.
1577. B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb. (1586), 67. The olde Rosyars must haue the Earth loosed about them in Februarie, and the dead twigges cutte of.
1581. G. Pettie, trans. Guazzo’s Civ. Conv. (1586), II. 117. Our lyfe is like to instruments of Musicke, which sometime wresting vp the strings, and sometime by loosing them, become more melodious.
1596. Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., II. 152. Occasione frilie to louse a brydle to al thair appetites.
c. 1614. Sir W. Mure, Dido & Æneas, I. 220. A prince imposed To let or loose their rains, as he commands.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., IV. 586. The slipp’ry God will try to loose his hold.
1737. Whiston, Josephus, Hist., VI. viii. § 4. Their nerves were so terribly loosed … they could not flee away.
1865. Lightfoot, Galatians (1874), 118/2. Sin and law loose their hold at the same time.
1868. Browning, Ring & Bk., V. 822. He bid them loose grasp.
1875. W. S. Hayward, Love agst. World, 18. ‘Loose your hold of the lady’s bridle,’ cried Walter.
1901. Methuen, Peace or War S. Africa, vii. 158. He will know when to loose and when to tighten the rein.
† b. transf. To relax or loosen (the bowels). Also absol. Obs.
c. 1400. Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 81. Þou maist … lose þe wombe if þat he be costif.
1528. Paynel, Salerne’s Regim. (1541), 77. The brothe of coole wortes … leuseth the bealy. Ibid., 87. Blacke pepper through the heate and drynes therof, leuseth quickely.
1533. Elyot, Cast. Helth, II. vii. (1541), 20 b. Soure grapes are colde, and do also lowse, but they are harde of dygestyon.
1612. Woodall, Surg. Mate, Wks. (1653), 187. It is dangerous to loose the belly upon a former loosenesse.
1651. Wittie, Primrose’s Pop. Err., I. 58. If their bellies be but abundantly loosed.
† 7. [Cf. L. solvere.] To break up, dissolve, do away with. Chiefly fig. Obs.
c. 1340. Richard Rolle of Hampole, Prick of Conscience, 1792. Þe dede … louses alle thyng And of ilk mans lif mas endyng.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), VII. 149. Whos chirche dissolved and lowsed þoruȝ longe rotnes he reparailde.
1435. Misyn, Fire of Love, II. ix. 91. Þat frenschyp þat is kyndely sal not be lausyd.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 15. It dissolueth and loseth all vowes.
1530. Palsgr., 688/1. I resolve, I lose thynges, or melte them, or parte thynges asonder, je resolue.
1819. Shelley, Cenci, I. ii. 23. By assuming vows no Pope will loose.
† b. intr. To crumble away; to dissolve, melt.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, xlv. (Cristine), 234. Til þe fals ydol don can fal, & in poudre lousyt al smal.
1481. Caxton, Myrr., II. xxvii. 120. The moisture … is in thayer assembled and amassed … And the sonne causeth it to lose and to falle on therthe.
† 8. To break (faith); to violate (a peace). Obs.
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 1784. If ȝe … folden fayth to þat fre, festned so harde, Þat yow lausen ne lyst.
1456. Sir G. Haye, Law Arms (S.T.S.), 149. The man … may nocht lous his faith.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 309. By reason whereof the peace betwene them agreed might be losed or broken.
† 9. To solve, explain. Obs.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., V. xi. 25. He had red her Riddle, which no wight Could ever loose but suffred deadly doole.
1660. R. Coke, Justice Vind., Arts & Sci., 1. This doubt is afterwards loosed by Aristotle himself.
10. To redeem, release or obtain by payment; to pay for. Sc. Hence perh. Coverdale’s use: † To buy (obs.).
1473. Ld. Treas. Acc. Scotl. (1877), I. 48. Item to Dauid Quhytehede and Thome of Stanly … for Doctor Andres dispensacione lousyt be thaim in Bruges xvjli. Ibid. (1500) (1900), II. 98. Item,… to Jacob lutar to lows his lute that lay in wed xxxijs. Ibid. (1504–5), (1901), III. 127. To Alexander Kers to lous the Kingis stope quhilk wes tane quhen he wes Abbot of Unreson vjli xiijs. iiijd.
1535. Coverdale, Jer. xxxii. 25. That I shall loose a pece of londe vnto my self.
1824. Scott, St. Ronan’s, ii. As for the letters at the postmistress’s—they may bide in her shop-window—till Beltane, or I louse them.
1825–80. Jamieson, To Louse..., to pay for; as, ‘Gie me siller to louse my coals at the hill.’
† b. Sc. To free (an estate) from incumbrance.
1494. Acta Dom. Conc. (1839), 361/2. Or the landis war lowsit, quhilkis are now lowsit.
11. Sc. Law. To withdraw (an arrestment).
1522. Extracts Aberd. Reg. (1844), I. 100. The arrest laid one the gudes aboune writin be Patrik Leslie…. And the said Patrik offerit the said gudis, and the rest maid thar one to be loussit, incontinent thar findand souerty [etc.]. Ibid. (1544), I. 205. The said day, Thomas Menzeis, provest of Aberdene … hes lowsit the arrestment made vpoun ane scheip, and certane tymmer being thairin, pertening to Robert Patersoune and vtheris.
1609. Skene, Reg. Maj., 75 b. The moueable gudes of the defender, sould be first attached, and arreisted, vntill he finde securitie be pledges, to compeir and answere to the complainer; and then the arreistment sould be lowsed.
1681. Visct. Stair, Instit. Law Scot., III. i. (1693), 373. When he whose Goods or Sums are arrested, findeth Caution, and thereby louseth the Arrestment.
a. 1768. Erskine, Instit., III. vi. § 12 (1773), I. 509.
12. pass. and intr. To finish working; (of a school, factory, etc.) to close, disperse, ‘break up.’ dial.
a. 1813. Wilson, Maggie Weir (E. D. D.). Ploughman chields lous’d frae their wark.
1829. Hogg, Sheph. Cal., I. vi. 151. He wad hear it [a song] every day when the school looses.
1851. Greenwell, Coal-trade Terms Northumb. & Durh., 35. Loose (‘Lowse’)!—Finish working!
1893. Snowden, Tales Yorksh. Wolds, 110. One Sunday afternoon just as the chapel had ‘loosed.’
