There is often confusion over the words 'loose' and 'lose'. This is due to
the lack of consistency in pronouncing words that end 'oose' and 'ose'.
For example, loose (LOOSS) rhymes with noose (NOOSS) but not choose (CHOOZ).
Lose
The word 'lose' rhymes with snooze. It has the following
meaning:
Fail to keep
(either physically or in an abstract sense), to misplace, fail to make money in a
business:
 If I
lose my glasses once more this week, I am going to glue them to my head. 
Terry
had already lost one family member to the cult. He did not want to
lose another.
The
surveillance team lost their target when he entered the park.
"Here, geezer, if you don't shift those clock radios, I'll lose 300
sovs."
(UK slang: "shift" = sell / "sovs" = sovereigns =
pounds) |
Fail to
win:
Back
in 2002, our pub landlord bet £10,000 on Brazil to lose against
Germany in the World Cup final.
If
you do not train during the week, you will lose on Saturday.
Let's play heads or tails (a bit
of fun)
 |
(1) I have chosen either heads or tails. |
(2) Guess which one. Select heads or tails.
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LooseLoose, which rhymes with moose, is an adjective
meaning 'not tight', 'not dense' or 'free from constraint'. Less commonly,
it can be used as a verb meaning 'to unleash'
(e.g., to loose plagues upon humanity).
Examples:
Watch your
footing on this loose gravel.
(not dense / not compact)
Travelers
are advised to wear a lightweight shirt that is lose
fitting. This is important to allow air circulation. 
(should be 'loose fitting')
There is a
dangerous dog loose on the street.
(free from constraint)
Select the correct version:
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LOOSE MOOSE
People make mistakes with 'loose' and 'lose' because of the confusion over
pronunciation. If you remember that 'loose' rhymes with 'moose', you
will eliminate this error.
moose on the loose
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