sb. and a. arch. and dial. (See E.D.D.) Forms: 4–7 losell, 5–6 loselle, (6 losyll), 6–7 lozel(l, (6 lozile, lozzel, 7 lozzell), 6–7, 9 Sc. lossel, 7 lossell, 4– losel. [app. f. losen, pa. pple. of LEESE v. (cf. LOREL from the more usual loren, and BROTHEL similarly f. OE. broðen, pa. pple. of bréoðan to be ruined). The etymological sense is thus ‘one who is lost,’ ‘a son of perdition.’]
A. sb. A worthless person; a profligate, rake, scoundrel; in weaker sense, a ragamuffin, ne’er-do-well.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. Prol. 74. Losels þat lecherie haunten.
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth., 252. We hafe as losels liffyde many longe daye.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 12096. Þe losell to þe lady launchid full swithe.
c. 1460. Towneley Myst. xvi. 154. Losels ye ar and thefys.
1561. T. Norton, Calvin’s Inst., I. 42. Augustine, whome those losells do most hate.
1596. Spenser, State Irel., Wks. (Globe), 624/1. Many of them be such losells and scatterlings, as that they cannot easely by any sheriff,… or other ordinarye officer be gotten.
1601. Dent, Pathw. Heaven, 170. There be many lazy lozels … which doe nothing all the day long, but walke in the streets, sit vpon the stalles, and frequent Tauerns and Ale-houses.
1609. C. Butler, Fem. Mon., iii. (1623), G iv. The Drone … hath been alwaies reputed a greedy lozell.
1624. Bp. Mountagu, Gagg, 187. Yet it is possible and I could doo it, to puzzle such a Lozzell as yourself.
1650. Trapp, Comm. Deut., 123. The sword devoureth one, as well as another,… it spares neither lord nor losel, as they say.
1671. Annand, Myst. Pietatis, 94. How soon might the rude swaine, the country lossel, the clownish Boor,… find out a way, for nobilitating his family.
17[?]. Heir of Linne, II. xx. in Ritson, Sc. Songs (1794), II. 137. If we shold hang any losel heere, The first we wold begin with thee.
1832. Carlyle, in Fraser’s Mag., V. 407. Do not recruiting sergeants drum through the streets … and … collect ragged losels enough?
1843. Browning, Blot ’Scutcheon, II. Wks. 1896, I. 343/2. Wretched women … tied By wild illicit ties to losels vile.
1897. ‘L. Keith,’ Bonny Lady, viii. 78. The school-master knew it was no village losel hired by the hour.
B. adj. Good-for-nothing, worthless.
1601. Munday, Downf. Earl Huntingdon, II. ii. (1828), 35. Yonder comes a lazy lozel Friar.
1633. P. Fletcher, Pisc. Ecl., II. xv. Why should you plain, that lozel swains refuse you?
1642. Milton, Apol. Smect., Wks. 1851, III. 296. Where didst thou learn to be … so pusillanimous, thou lozel Bachelour of Art.
1809. W. Irving, Knickerb. (1861), 57. He saw the losel porpoises, which had betrayed them into this peril, some broiling on the Gridiron, and others hissing on the Frying-pan!
1883. R. W. Dixon, Mano, II. i. 65. This bad daughter of a better sire With a vile losel dweller of the wild Was playing now.
