| 释义 |
on the loose
loose L0248400 (lo͞os)adj. loos·er, loos·est 1. Not fastened, restrained, or contained: loose bricks.2. Not taut, fixed, or rigid: a loose anchor line; a loose chair leg.3. Free from confinement or imprisonment; unfettered: criminals loose in the neighborhood; dogs that are loose on the streets.4. Not tight-fitting or tightly fitted: loose shoes.5. Not bound, bundled, stapled, or gathered together: loose papers.6. Not compact or dense in arrangement or structure: loose gravel.7. Lacking a sense of restraint or responsibility; idle: loose talk.8. Not formal; relaxed: a loose atmosphere at the club.9. Lacking conventional moral restraint in sexual behavior.10. Not literal or exact: a loose translation.11. Characterized by a free movement of fluids in the body: a loose cough; loose bowels.adv. In a loose manner.tr.v. loosed, loos·ing, loos·es 1. To let loose; release: loosed the dogs.2. To make loose; undo: loosed his belt.3. To cast loose; detach: hikers loosing their packs at camp.4. To let fly; discharge: loosed an arrow.5. To release pressure or obligation from; absolve: loosed her from the responsibility.6. To make less strict; relax: a leader's strong authority that was loosed by easy times.Idiom: on the loose1. At large; free.2. Acting in an uninhibited fashion.
[Middle English louse, los, from Old Norse lauss; see leu- in Indo-European roots.]
loose′ly adv.loose′ness n.Synonyms: loose, lax, slack1
These adjectives mean not tautly bound, held, or fastened: loose reins; a lax rope; slack sails.Antonym: tighton the looseAt liberty, especially when you consider yourself free to act as you please.Thesaurus| Adj. | 1. on the loose - having escaped, especially from confinement; "a convict still at large"; "searching for two escaped prisoners"; "dogs loose on the streets"; "criminals on the loose in the neighborhood"at large, escaped, loosefree - able to act at will; not hampered; not under compulsion or restraint; "free enterprise"; "a free port"; "a free country"; "I have an hour free"; "free will"; "free of racism"; "feel free to stay as long as you wish"; "a free choice" |
on the loose
on the looseHaving been freed from some restraint or free in an environment with the potential to cause mischief, damage, or harm. Every time the Navy boat pulls into the harbor, there are sailors on the loose all over the city. There are reports of a large bear on the loose in the lower mountain town.See also: loose, onon the looserunning around free. Look out! There is a bear on the loose from the zoo. Most kids enjoy being on the loose when they go to college.See also: loose, onon the loose1. At large, free, as in That dog of theirs is on the loose all the time. [Second half of 1800s] 2. Acting without restraint, as in After the game the players were in town, on the loose. [Mid-1700s] See also: loose, onon the loose COMMON1. If a dangerous person or animal is on the loose, they are free because they have escaped from somewhere. The person who carried out those awful murders is still on the loose. There was a lion on the loose in the building.2. If someone is on the loose, they are not being controlled or looked after by anyone and they are free to behave however they want. The movie is about a young boy on the loose in New York.See also: loose, on(be) on the ˈloose
1 (of an escaped prisoner, animal, etc.) be free: There are ten prisoners on the loose. OPPOSITE: under lock and key
2 be enjoying a period of freedom from your normal life or usual rules and restrictions: Her boyfriend’s on the loose in Paris this weekend, but she doesn’t seem to mind.See also: loose, on on the loose1. At large; free.2. Acting in an uninhibited fashion.See also: loose, onon the looseNot constrained by responsibilities, free to indulge oneself. This seemingly modern slangy expression dates from the mid-1700s, when it could also mean to live by prostitution. That may or not have been intended by John Cleland when he wrote, “The giddy wildness of young girls once got upon the loose” (Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure, 1749).See also: loose, onEncyclopediaSeelooseAcronymsSeeOTLon the loose
Synonyms for on the looseadj having escaped, especially from confinementSynonymsRelated Words |