Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

loosen

/ˈlusən/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.37 in modern English

Syllables: loosen
IPA: /ˈlusən/

6

Scrabble Score

6

Letters

2

Syllables

5

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

Transitive verb

verb

To become loose.

Intransitive verb

verb

To disengage (a device that restrains).

Transitive verb

verb

To become unfastened or undone.

Intransitive verb

verb

To free from restraint; to set at liberty.

Transitive verb

verb

To relieve (the bowels) from constipation; to promote defecation.

Transitive verb

verb

To create a breach or rift between (two parties).

Obsolete; Transitive verb

verb

To sail away (from the shore).

Intransitive verb; Obsolete

Example Sentences

"to loosen a knot; to loosen one's grip / hold on something"
"After the Thanksgiving meal, Bill loosened his belt."
"1626, Francis Bacon, Sylva Sylvarum: or A Naturall Historie, London: William Lee, Century 5, p. 111, […] after a yeares Rooting, then Shaking doth the Tree good, by Loosening of the Earth […]"
"In order to deal with deposits of soot on boiler-tubes while running, especially if poor coal is in use, locomotives are often now provided with blowers on the firebox back-plate which can be made to discharge a jet of high pressure steam towards the firebox tubeplates; this has the effect of loosening and blowing off the soot deposits."
"[...] and on the Saturday heavy seas pounded the W.R. on its exposed coastal stretch between Dawlish and Teignmouth, loosening the ballast and forcing trains to proceed with extreme caution."
"His days at the villa had loosened his body and freed his tenseness […]"

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *lewh₁- Proto-Indo-European *lewHs-der. Proto-Germanic *leusaną Proto-Germanic *lausaz Old Norse laussbor. Middle English loos English loose English -en English loosen From loose + -en.

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈlusən/
British English: /ˈluːsən/

Usage

Inflected Forms

loosens (present, singular) loosening (participle, present) loosened (participle, past) loosened (past)

Derived Forms

loosenable loosener overloosen reloosen

Phrases

loosen one's tongue loosen someone's lips loosen someone's tongue loosen the apron strings loosen the purse strings loosen up

Frequently Paired Words

loose unloosen lose

Synonyms

ease relax untighten undo unfasten liberate release set free put out loosen slacken

Antonyms

tighten

Rhymes With

hewson newson goossen skousen huson joosten fuson krewson vandusen

Questions

How do you pronounce loosen?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈlusən/.
What does loosen mean?: To make loose.
Where does loosen come from?: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *lewh₁- Proto-Indo-European *lewHs-der. Proto-Germanic *leusaną Proto-Germanic *lausaz Old Norse laussbor. Middle English loos English loose English -en English loosen From loose + -en.

How to pronounce loosen

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