Grammar Class: “Lose” vs. “Loose”

I have been seeing this A LOT lately. So let’s have a refresher.

lose: a verb. “I lose, you lose, he/she/it loses.” Definition:

  1. Be deprived of or cease to have or retain (something): “I’ve lost my appetite”.
  2. Cause (someone) to fail to gain or retain (something): “you lost me my appointment at the university”.

Example: “I’ve lost my keys.” “Did you lose your phone?”

loose: adjective. Not tightly fixed in place. “My tooth is loose!” “Since I lost twenty pounds, my close are much looser.”

There is also a rarely used noun for of “loose”, as in: “Let loose the hounds!”

 

These are NOT interchangeable! If you write, “I can’t loose ten pounds,” that is incorrect.

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2 thoughts on “Grammar Class: “Lose” vs. “Loose”

  1. Lady,

    It is because of you and my husband that I am making sure I listen to advice on Grammar. Then again you and hubby said if I ever wrote anything you two would look it over. :)

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