loose Idiom, Proverb
a loose cannon
a screw loose
all hell broke loose
at loose ends
footloose and fancy free
hang loose
have a screw loose
let loose
loose cannon
loose ends
on the loose
screw loose
set loose
tie up loose ends
break loose
The criminal broke loose from the police and ran into the woods．罪犯挣脱警察，逃进了树林。
During the storm，the boat broke loose from its mooring．刮风暴时，船脱开了缆绳。
play fast and loose
He played fast and loose with several women's affections．他玩弄了好几位女士的感情。
No one can place any reliance on a person who plays fast and loose．没有人能够信赖反复无常的人。
He should not play fast and loose with the company's good name．他不应该拿公司的好名声当儿戏。
footloose and fancy-free
Idiom(s): footloose and fancy-freeTheme: CAREFREE
without responsibilities or commitments. (Fixed order.)
• All the rest of them have wives, but John is footloose and fancy-free.
• Mary never stays long in any job. She likes being footloose and fancy-free.
cut loose
Idiom(s): cut loose (from sb or sth)Theme: ESCAPE
to break away from someone or something; to break ties with someone or something; to act in a free manner.
• Jane is finding it hard to cut loose from her family.
• Cutting loose is part of growing up.
• When those farm boys get to town, they really cut loose from convention.
• They sure are wild when they cut loose.
let loose with
Idiom(s): let go (with something) AND cut loose (with something); let loose (with something)Theme: SHOUTING
to shout something out or expel something; to shout or express something wildly. (Slang.)
• The audience cut loose with a loud cheer.
• The whole team let go with a loud shout.
• John let loose with a horrendous belch.
• I wish you wouldn't let loose like that!
cut loose with
Idiom(s): let go (with something) AND cut loose (with something); let loose (with something)Theme: SHOUTING
to shout something out or expel something; to shout or express something wildly. (Slang.)
• The audience cut loose with a loud cheer.
• The whole team let go with a loud shout.
• John let loose with a horrendous belch.
• I wish you wouldn't let loose like that!
Loose lips sink ships.
Disclosing important information ( to the enemy or a competitor) could result in large losses.At a loose end
(UK) If you are at a loose end, you have spare time but don't know what to do with it.Loose lips sink ships
To have loose lips means to have a big mouth, susceptible to talking about everything and everyone. Sinking ships refers to anything from small acquaintances to long and hearty relationships (with friends or a significant other). So when one says loose lips sink ships, one is basically saying if you can't shut up you are going to end hurting people, usually psychologically or emotionally.Loose lips sink ships comes from World War I and/or WWII, when sailors on leave from their ships might talk about what ship they sailed on or where it had come from, or where it was going. If they talked too much (had 'loose lips') they might accidentally provide the enemy with anecdotal information that might later cause their ship to be tracked, and bombed and sunk, hence 'Loose lips sink ships.' Later, it came to mean any excessive talk might sabotage a project.loose change|spare change
coins in your pocket: "Do you have any spare change for the parking meter?"at loose ends|loose ends
adj. phr. Without a regular job or settled habits; uncertain what to do next; having nothing to do for a while; undecided; unsettled; restless. Feeling at loose ends, I went for a long walk. He had finished college but hadn't found a job yet, so he was at loose ends.break away|break|break loose|loose
v. phr. To liberate oneself from someone or something. Jane tried to break loose from her attacker, but he was too strong.cut loose|cut|loose
v. 1. To free from ties or connections, cut the fastenings of. The thief hastily cut the boat loose from its anchor.Compare: LET LOOSE(1a). 2. informal To break away from control; get away and be free. The boy left home and cut loose from his parents' control. 3. informal To behave freely or wildly. The men had come to the convention to have a good time, and they really cut loose. When he got the news of his job promotion, Jack cut loose with a loud "Yippee!"
Compare: LET GO6.
footloose and fancy-free|fancy-free|footloose
adj. phr. Free and free to do what one wants (said of unmarried men). Ron is a merry bachelor and seems to enjoy greatly being footloose and fancy-free.have a screw loose|have|screw|screw loose
v. phr,, slang To act in a strange way; to be foolish. Now I know he has a screw loose
he stole a police car this time. He was a smart man but had a screw loose and people thought him odd.let loose|let|loose
v. 1a. or set loose|turn loose To set free; loosen or give up your hold on. The farmer opened the gate and let the bull loose in the pasture. They turned the balloon loose to let it rise in the air. 1b. or turn loose To give freedom (to someone) to do something; to allow (someone) to do what he wants. Mother let Jim loose on the apple pie. The children were turned loose in the toy store to pick the toys they wanted. 1c. To stop holding something; loosen your hold. Jim caught Ruth's arm and would not let loose.Compare: LET GO, LET OUT. 2a. informal To let or make (something) move fast or hard; release. The fielder let loose a long throw to home plate after catching the ball. 2b. informal To release something held. Those dark clouds are going to let loose any minute.
Synonym: CUT LOOSE, LET GO. 3. informal To speak or act freely; disregard ordinary limits. The teacher told Jim that some day she was going to let loose and tell him what she thought of him. Mother let loose on her shopping trip today and bought things for all of us.
Synonym: CUT LOOSE, LET GO.
loose ends|ends|loose
n. 1. Parts or things that should be finished or put together. Mary's composition had many loose ends. When George came home after a long trip, he started picking up the loose ends. 2. See: AT LOOSE ENDS.on the loose|loose|on
adj. phr., informal Free to go; not shut in or stopped by anything. The zookeeper forgot to close the gate to the monkey cage and the monkeys were on the loose. All of the seniors were on the loose on "Senior Skip Day."play fast and loose|fast|loose|play
v. phr. To do as you please without caring what will happen to other people; act so carelessly or unfairly that people cannot depend on you; be very unreliable. He played fast and loose with the girl's affections. He played fast and loose with the company's good name.cast loose
cast looseAlso, cast adrift. Let go, freed, as in After Rob was suspended from boarding school, he was cast loose with nowhere to go, or Selling her home meant she was cast adrift with no financial ties or responsibilities. Originally a nautical term for releasing a vessel, this idiom was being used figuratively by the late 1500s.
fast and loose
fast and loosesee play fast and loose.
loose
looseIn addition to the idioms beginning with loose, also see at loose ends; break loose; cast loose; cut loose; footloose and fancy-free; hang loose; have a screw loose; on the loose; play fast and loose.
* * *
- loose cannon
- loose ends
loosen
loosenloosen up
â Informal
1) to talk freely
2) to give money generously
3) to relax
More Idioms/Phrases
English Vocalbulary
An loose idiom dictionary is a great resource for writers, students, and anyone looking to expand their vocabulary. It contains a list of words with similar meanings with loose, allowing users to choose the best word for their specific context.
Dictionary of similar words, Different wording, Synonyms, Idioms for Idiom, Proverb loose
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