ENGLISH
REFERENCE

lose

v.
A1 Beginner Oxford US //ˈɫuz// UK //lˈuːz// lose General-service Informal

v. to be unable to find something you had before. It also means to fail to win a game or a competition.

v. to become unable to find or retrieve something previously possessed; to suffer defeat in a contest or competition.


SIMPLE

I often lose my keys when I am in a hurry.

CONTEXTUAL

If the team does not improve their defense, they will likely lose the championship game this weekend.

COMPLEX

Investors fear that if the market continues to decline, they will lose a significant portion of their retirement savings before the end of the fiscal year.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

* As a north/Low German surname, from a pet form of Lodewig, Ludwig. * As a south German surname, from a pet from of Nikolaus.

Usage

The verb is irregular (lose, lost, lost). It is transitive when referring to misplaced items or defeated opponents, but can be intransitive when describing a general failure to win.

Idioms23 entries

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