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Lose Very Common

Lose has 14 different meanings across 2 categories:

Verb · Proper Noun

Definitions
Noun
1

Fame, renown; praise.

"After years of critical acclaim, the once-beloved actor has lost his reputation and now struggles to get auditions."

In plain English: In this context, lose is not a noun but a verb meaning to stop having something or fail to win.

"He was worried about losing the game, but his team played well."

Usage: The noun "lose" means nothing in modern English and should not be used to mean fame or renown. If you need a word for public acclaim, use "loss" only when referring to something that has been lost, as the intended meaning seems to be a confusion with the unrelated word "lore."

Verb
1

fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense

"She lost her purse when she left it unattended on her seat"

2

fail to win

"We lost the battle but we won the war"

3

suffer the loss of a person through death or removal

"She lost her husband in the war"

"The couple that wanted to adopt the child lost her when the biological parents claimed her"

4

miss from one's possessions; lose sight of

"I've lost my glasses again!"

5

allow to go out of sight or mind

"The detective lost the man he was shadowing after he had to stop at a red light"

"lose the crowds by climbing a mountain"

"the lost tribe"

6

fail to make money in a business; make a loss or fail to profit

"I lost thousands of dollars on that bad investment!"

"The company turned a loss after the first year"

7

fail to get or obtain

"I lost the opportunity to spend a year abroad"

8

fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind

"I missed that remark"

"She missed his point"

"We lost part of what he said"

9

withdraw, as from reality

"he lost himslef in his music"

10

be set at a disadvantage

"This author really suffers in translation"

"The painting loses something in this light"

11

To cause (something) to cease to be in one's possession or capability due to unfortunate or unknown circumstances, events or reasons. If you lose that ten-pound note, you'll be sorry.

"After leaving my keys in the car, I had no idea when or why I lost them until months later when I finally found them buried under a pile of mail."

12

To have (an organ) removed from one's body, especially by accident.

"The boxer was terrified after he lost an eye during the fight and had to be rushed to the hospital immediately."

In plain English: To lose means to no longer have something because you misplaced it, gave it away, or were defeated in a competition.

"I will not lose my keys if I put them in the same pocket every day."

Usage: Use "lose" to describe the act of no longer having something because it was misplaced, stolen, or forgotten. This applies when an object slips out of your control through unfortunate circumstances rather than being intentionally given away.

Proper Noun
1

A surname, from German​.

"I met my neighbor Mr. Lose at the grocery store yesterday."

Example Sentences
"He was worried about losing the game, but his team played well." noun
"I will not lose my keys if I put them in the same pocket every day." verb
"I often lose my keys when I am in a hurry." verb
"We must not lose hope during difficult times." verb
"She decided to lose weight for her upcoming vacation." verb
Related Terms
Antonyms
Broader Terms (hypernyms)
Narrower Terms (hyponyms)

Origin

The word "lose" comes from Old English losian, meaning to let go or part with something. Its modern pronunciation shifted over time because speakers confused it with the word "loose."

Rhyming Words
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