h verb [+adv./prep.] 1 [VN] to form or bend sth into a loop ft M If ; {j£ ft ffl : He looped the strap over his shoulder. flfeJE^ft 77Mftft±„ 2 [V] to move in a way that makes the shape of a loop ft^FJ^isSfl: The river loops around the valley. lil#i&77

ft^UL O The ball looped high up in the air.

IT>TO1 loop the loop to flv or make a plane fly in a circle going up and down ( ft

~m) ssmAlfr

loop-hole /'luiphaol; NAmE -houl/ noun ~ (in sth) a mistake in the way a law, contract, etc. has been written which enables people to legally avoid doing sth that the law, contract, etc. had intended them to do (      £M#W ) MS; £7: a legal loophole

WMP o to close existing loopholes if ftfJgftWitrlsi

loopy /’lu:pi/ adj. {informal) 1 not sensible; strange Aft H^W; MW;        H33crazy 2 [BrE]

very angry 033 furious: He’ll

go loopy when he hears! ftfeB/f 7^AftW! loose On /lu:s/ adj., verb, noun

a adj. (loos er, loos-est)

                 NOT FIXED/TIED AH}^: ft 7ft 1 not firmly fixed where it should be; able to become separated from sth ft fH ^ 2£W; BjftftW: aloosebutton/tooth&$]W)mn/%-iM 0 Check that the plug has not come loose. ftS—T$ijih

Aftl&70 2 not tied together; not held in position by anything or contained in anything ft 7 ( ftfll ) ft— iig W; ft [§ aE W; # Ifc W: She usually wears her hair loose.        0 The potatoes were sold

loose, not in bags.       3 [not

usually before noun] free to move around without control; not tied up or shut in somewhere A ^; ftft*#; ith: The sheep had got out and were loose on the road. MftJMftfti&± g (fi g ftftfeft^0 0 The horse had broken loose (= escaped) from its tether. IP 25 ^ #      $3 T o O During the night, somebody had

cut the boat loose from its moorings, f  T

o

                 CLOTHES ft® 4 not fitting closely IjgftW: a. loose shirt

033 TIGHT

                 NOT SOLID/HARD AIS$;  5 not tightly packed

together; not solid or hard StftW; AMf^W; AM Hi

W: loose soil M. ft W ± o a fabric with a loose weave

mRMmmpM

                 NOT STRICT/EXACT Aftftft AM 6 not strictly organ­ized or controlled *1 iR A J* ft W ; ft 7 in £5? $'J W : a loose alliance/coalition/federation ftffcWIf£M / [W]M / K|5 7 not exact; not very careful AHW ; A7il W; A i«I W: a loose translation A /f£5$ W if ft; o loose thinking A73?W®31

                 IMMORAL A if |§ 8 [usually before noun] (old-fashioned) having or involving an attitude to sexual relationships that people consider to be immoral MM W; MM W: a young man of loose morals

                 BALL if. 9 (sport #) not in any player’s control fcif MS rfci] W: He pounced on a loose ball. ftfe<St#Sft IrI—■AAA

                 BODY WASTE A#H{1! 10 having too much liquid in it

#                  W: a baby with loose bowel movements & B. W §£ J L loose ness noun [U] IR^l break/cut/tear (sb/sth) 'loose from sb/sth to separate yourself or sb/sth from a group of people or their influence, etc. ( ft ) If 1ft,

#                  The organization broke loose from its sponsors. IP

M fL ft 41 ® 7 fft ]§[ o 0 He cut himself loose from his family, ft 41 ® 7 llftillio hang/stay 'loose {informal, especially NAmE) to remain calm; to not worry 4£4#fKfj£; Aif : It’s OK—hang loose and stay cool. ^JL, faM&M.,     have a loose 'tongue to

talk too much, especially about things that are private

( A4f*m& ) 0m, ^ let 'loose {BrE) {NAmE cut 'loose) (informal) to do sth or to happen in a way that is not controlled A'Sft rfr]; § ft Aft: Teenagers need a place to let loose.     Wftfefto let

loose sth to make a noise or remark, especially in a loud or sudden way ( ) Aft, BJcft, A

: She let loose a stream of abuse. P ft iSftt 0 let sb/sth 'loose 1 to free sb/sth from whatever holds them/it in place it • • - g & ; MM\ Mff: She let her hair loose and it fell around her shoulders. ft W

ff, ® M % A MM 7 T M o 0 Who’s let the dog loose? it fE #J ft 3|C 7 ? 2 to give sb complete freedom to do what they want in a place or situation ft ( ^ A ) § & M\i: He was at last let loose in the kitchen.        WtSJLTo o A team of

professionals were let loose on the project, ft—MAik A @ o — more at fast adv., hell,

screw n.

m verb [VN] (formal)

                 RELEASE 1 ~ sth (on/upon sb/sth) to release sth or let it happen or be expressed in an uncontrolled way #

M; J&fcft;  His speech loosed a tide of

nationalist sentiment. ftfeW^i^A^Lb—

mm*

                 MAKE STH LOOSE ft J | 2 to make sth loose, especially sth

that is tied or held tightly ftft, Mff ( Xtni&'MM'MM W ffl )  033 loosen : He loosed the straps that

bound her arms, mftf 7^AM7ff±l»7o

                 FIRE BULLETS || f # 3 ~ sth (off) (at sb/sth) to fire bullets, arrows, etc. UtB ( 71#, flt# )

i:i3*J Do not confuse this verb with to lose = ‘to be unable to find sth’. A^^llt^ia]^ to lose (‘to be unable to find sth’) li,

noun ITTO1 on the 1 loose (of a person or an animal A having escaped from somewhere; free   ;

H ftf 033 at large : Three prisoners are still on the loose. ft=£0M^»o

'loose box noun {BrE) a small area in a building or a vehicle where a horse can move freely #-fit|h] , Wif/M

(mm)

.loose 'cannon noun a person, usually a public figure, who often behaves in a way that nobody can predict A

m ( ^itAft»4W*fl£A± )

.loose 'change noun [u] coins that you have in a pocket or a bag (

.loose ‘cover (BrE) {NAmE 'slip cover) noun [usually pi.] a cover for a chair, etc. that you can take off, for example to wash it (    ) tsi, WiW-

,loose 'end noun [usually pi.] a part of sth such as a story that has not been completely finished or explained (

ft,     The

play has too many loose ends.

o There are still a few loose ends to tie up {= a few things to finish), ftft/lftftH7Mo F17I71 at a loose 'end (BrE) {NAmE at loose 'ends) having nothing to do and not knowing what you want to do

Come and see us, if you’re at a loose end.

.loose- fitting adj. (of clothes ftjjg) not fitting the body tightly jSftW; HAW

.loose ‘forward noun (in rugby ##£5£) a player who plays at the back of the scrum  Wftult

.loose 'head noun (in rugby #$6lS£) the player in the front row of a team in the scrum who is nearest to where the ball is put in ^ & HU#

.loose-'leaf adj. [usually before noun] (of a book, file, etc. 4ft 4^^^) having pages that can be taken out and put in separately jff W: a loose-leaf binder '/gj/TA .loose-'limbed adj. {literary) (of a person A) moving in an easy, not stiff, way 01$AftAtSW loose ly O-w /'luisli/ adv.

1 in a way that is not firm or tight     ; ftfife:

She fastened the belt loosely around her waist. ftftftfe£M±o 2 in a way that is not exact AfSfil fife: to use a term loosely j^iiiflfeft^jAiob The play is loosely based on his childhood in Russia.        ASSC-hli

loos en /'luisn/ verb 1 to make sth less tight or firmly fixed; to become less tight or firmly fixed ( ft ) $Cft, $ ft HT3 slacken : [VN] First loosen the nuts, then take off the wheel, ftftft*#,   0 [V] The

rope holding the boat loosened. ^MWM7ft76 2 [VN] to make a piece of clothing, hair, etc. loose, when it has been tied or fastened lift, ftft ( ft® % AA# ) 3 [VN] ~ your hands, hold, etc. to hold sb/sth less tightly ftft, Mff (        ) : He loosened his grip and