lose English · revision 2595

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=before 725|origins=gem-pro *lausą}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /luːz/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|losen|t=to be lost, perish]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(AHD 2000) [[inh|ang|losian|t=to be lost, perish]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[m|ang|los|t=destruction, loss]],^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000)^(SOED 2002) from Proto-Germanic *lausa-, the source also of [[loss]], [[loose]] and [[-less]].^(Etymonline) It is from [[ine-pro|*leu-|t=to loosen, divide, cut apart]],^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) through an extended form *leus-,^(Etymonline) and Latin [[m|la|luere|t=to atone for]] and Greek [[m|grc|λύειν|tr=lúein|t=to loosen]] are cognates.^(MWU 2024)^(Barnhart 1988) It merged with the related Middle English leese, from Old English [[m|ang|lēosan|t=to lose]],^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) whose past participle loren survives in [[forlorn]].^(Etymonline) The pronunciation with /uː/ was probably influenced by loose.^(SOED 2002)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ “To perish, be lost”: before 725 in Barnhart,^(Barnhart 1988) or about 888 in the OED.^(OED 1989) Barnhart dates Middle English losen “to be lost” to 1120, in the ''Peterborough Chronicle''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The transitive senses came from the merger with leese:^(Etymonline) “to be deprived of, part with accidentally”, of money, blood or sleep, is from about 1200,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) and the loss of a relative by death also from about 1205.^(OED 1989) “To fail to keep track of” is from the mid-13th century,^(Etymonline) and “to fail to win” something from about 1300, intransitive “to be defeated” from the late 14th century.^(Etymonline) “To fail to maintain”, as in ''lose patience'', is from the mid-15th century^(Etymonline) or 1436.^(OED 1989) “To cause someone to lose his way” is from the 1640s, and “to get rid of” something unwanted from the 1660s.^(Etymonline) A clock loses time when it runs slow.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 725 – to perish.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1200 – to be deprived of.^(Etymonline)

+ * mid-13th century – to lose track of.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1300 – to fail to win.^(Etymonline)

+ * late 14th century – to be defeated.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1436 – to fail to maintain.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1640s – to cause to lose one's way.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1660s – to get rid of.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To be unable to find; to [[mislay]].^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # To be deprived of something one had, as by accident or death.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # To fail to win: ''to lose a game''.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # To fail to keep or maintain: ''to lose patience''.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # To get rid of: ''to lose weight''.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # Of a clock, to run slow.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[losable]]

+ * [[losableness]]

+ * [[lose-lose]]

+ * [[no-lose]]

+ * [[lose out]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[losel]]

+ * [[loser]]

+ * [[loss]]

+ * [[loose]]

+ * [[forlorn]]

+ * [[lorn]]

+ * [[-less]]

+ * [[analysis]]

+ * [[solve]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The SOED records two unrelated obsolete words: a noun ''lose'', “praise, fame”, from Old French los, from Latin laudēs, used from Middle English to the early 19th century, and a verb “to praise” from it.^(SOED 2002)^(OED 1989) A slang noun ''lose'', a lost race, is from 1884.^(OED 1989)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}