loose

not restrained or confined or attached

• “a pocket full of loose bills”
• “knocked the ball loose”
• “got loose from his attacker”

not compact or dense in structure or arrangement

• “loose gravel”

(of a ball in sport) not in the possession or control of any player

• “a loose ball”

not tight; not closely constrained or constricted or constricting

• “loose clothing”
• “the large shoes were very loose”

not officially recognized or controlled

• “an informal agreement”
• “a loose organization of the local farmers”

not literal

• “a loose interpretation of what she had been told”
• “a free translation of the poem”

emptying easily or excessively

• “loose bowels”

not affixed

• “the stamp came loose”

not tense or taut

• “the old man”
• “;”
• “;”
• “;”

(of textures) full of small openings or gaps

• “an open texture”
• “a loose weave”

not fixed firmly or tightly

• “the bolts became loose over time”
• “a loose chair leg”
• “loose bricks”

lacking a sense of restraint or responsibility

• “idle talk”
• “a loose tongue”

not carefully arranged in a package

• “a box of loose nails”

freely producing mucus

• “a loose phlegmy cough”

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”

casual and unrestrained in sexual behavior

• “her easy virtue”
• “he was told to avoid loose (or light) women”
• “wanton behavior”

not bound or fastened or gathered together

• “loose pages”
• “loose papers”

without restraint

• “cows in India are running loose”

grant freedom to; free from confinement

turn loose or free from restraint

• “let loose mines”
• “Loose terrible plagues upon humanity”

make loose or looser

• “loosen the tension on a rope”

become loose or looser or less tight

• “The noose loosened”
• “the rope relaxed”