Forms: see LOOSE a. [f. LOOSE a. + -NESS.] The attribute of being loose.
1. Freedom from restraint, attachment, rigid connection, tightness, or density. lit., transf. and fig.
c. 1400. Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 64. Þe enchesoun of cause coniuncte is compounned of þe mouþis of þe veynes and arteries,… or ellis to greet febilnes or to greet losenes.
1562. Turner, Baths, 8 b. They are good for the lousnes and to muche sofftnes of the pappes.
1587. Golding, De Mornay, xiii. 223. After that maner therefore may we wade … betweene Loocenesse and Bondage by leauing their mouings free.
1607. Markham, Caval., II. (1617), 92. Hold vp his head, so as by no meanes he may … win it to such a loosnesse from the riders hand, that [etc.].
1621. T. Williamson, trans. Goulart’s Wise Vieillard, 34. Loosenesse of teeth.
1635–56. Cowley, Davideis, III. 640. Not all that Saul could threaten or persuade, In this close Knot the smallest Looseness made.
1675. A. Browne, App. Art Limning, 20. The third thing Excellent in a Good Draught is Loosness, that is, that the Body be not made Stiff in any part.
1889. J. M. Robertson, Christ & Krishna, xvii. 107. The looseness and flexibility of the materials of which the cumbrous mythology of the Hindu epic poems is composed.
2. Lack of strictness; laxity of principles or practice.
1585. Fetherstone, trans. Calvin on Acts xviii. 17. This loosenesse must bee imputed not so much to the sluggishnes of the deputie as to the hatred of the Iewish religion.
a. 1639. W. Whateley, Prototypes, I. xix. (1640), 191. They know how to tie others hard and leave themselves loose, through the loosenesse of an evill conscience.
a. 1665. J. Goodwin, Filled w. the Spirit (1867), 465. Any looseness or lightness of spirit.
1723. Wodrow, Corr. (1843), III. 58. The Non-subscribing principle has a natural and necessary tendency to looseness and the opening a door for error.
1855. N. Y. Express, Sept. (Bartlett). The perfect looseness, with which books not on the invoice were sold [at auction].
1878. Lecky, Eng. in 18th C., II. vii. 290. The greater looseness of their principles.
1891. Daily News, 28 Oct., 2/3. It is confessed by members of the Stock Exchange that their methods of dealing sometimes encourage a certain amount of looseness.
b. Lack of exactness or accuracy.
1769. Burke, Late St. Nat., Wks. II. 70. The looseness and inaccuracy of the export entries.
1797. Godwin, Enquirer, I. vi. 42. Misunderstandings … may be traced to … looseness of expression.
1849. Ruskin, Sev. Lamps, p. vij. The looseness of the drawing … may perhaps diminish their credit.
1873. M. Arnold, Lit. & Dogma (1876), 142. The incurable looseness with which the circumstances of what is called and thought a miracle are related.
1885. Sir A. Wills, in Law Times Rep., LII. 518/1. Throughout the Act there is not the smallest indication of looseness of phraseology.
3. Moral laxity; licentiousness or lewdness in conduct, speech or thought.
1576. Woolton, Chr. Manual, H v b. Nature hath mingled pleasure with thinges necessarye…. If pleasure come alone, it is lousnesse.
1581. J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 25. This chastitie may be seduced in processe of tyme to loosenesse.
1599. R. Crompton, Mansion Magnanimity, N iv b. The said noble Earle … knowing the loosenesse of soldiers … caused the Ladies … to be safely conveyed out of the Citie.
1693–4. Wood, Life, 3 March. He told him that such a College in Oxford was a debauch’d college, that they were all given to loosness.
1709. Felton, Classics (1718), 26. The Looseness of his Thoughts, too immodest for chaste Ears to bear.
1868. Milman, St. Paul’s, 302. Looseness too often sinking into obscenity.
1900. W. M. Sinclair, Unto You Young Men, x. 187. Scenes of luxury or looseness.
4. Laxity (of the bowels), esp. as a morbid symptom; diarrhœa; † an attack of diarrhœa.
1586. T. Randolph, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., Ser. II. III. 121. He fell into a greate losenes of his bodye.
1600. Surflet, Country Farme, I. xv. 97. For the loosenes of the belly, some make them meate of the husks of barlie steept in wine.
1663. Boyle, Usef. Exp. Nat. Philos., II. V. xi. 232. If rubarb be justly affirmed to be an excellent medicine in loosenesses.
1702. J. Purcell, Cholick (1714), 163. The Pains grew violent, and a great Looseness succeeded.
1737. Bracken, Farriery Impr. (1749), I. 217. In Diarrhœa’s or Loosenesses.
1755. Gentl. Mag., XXV. 28. His looseness encreased to a great excess, which brought on much weakness.
1760. Gray, Lett., Poems (1775), 283. A violent looseness carried him off.
1897. Allbutt’s Syst. Med., II. 242. A certain looseness of the bowels … is a common symptom of the disease [i.e., of whooping-cough].
1898. P. Manson, Trop. Diseases, xvii. 271. The preliminary looseness in such cases [of cholera) is called the ‘premonitory diarrhœa.’
