lose 
/ˈlu:z/ verb
los·es; lost /ˈlu:z/ verb /ˈlɑ:st/; los·ing 1 [+ obj] : to be unable to find (something or someone)
▪ She's always losing her gloves. ▪ Don't lose your keys. ▪ Hold my hand: I don't want to lose you. ▪ The police lost him in the crowd. [=the police were no longer able to find/see him after he went into the crowd] ▪ The airline lost my luggage. [=my luggage did not arrive at the airport I flew into] ▪ He lost the fly ball in the sun. [=he was unable to see the fly ball because he was looking toward the sun] ▪ The letter was lost in the mail. [=it was sent but never delivered to the person it was addressed to] 2 : to fail to win (a game, contest, etc.) [+ obj] ▪ lose a battle/game ▪ She lost her bid for reelection. [=she failed to win the election; she was not reelected] ▪ We lost the game by a score of 4–2. ▪ He lost his title in the rematch. ▪ She lost the lawsuit. ▪ The team lost three games but won the next four. [no obj] ▪ The team lost in the finals. ▪ an athlete known for losing with grace ▪ That horse always loses. ▪ He hates to lose when money is involved. ▪ How could she play that well and still lose? — often + to ▪ The Yankees lost to the Red Sox. 3 a [+ obj] : to fail to keep or hold (something wanted or valued)
▪ lose an advantage ▪ The country lost its independence 50 years ago. ▪ The mayor is losing power/influence/support. ▪ He is in danger of losing control of the company. ▪ She lost control of the car and skidded off the road. ▪ I was so angry that I lost control (of myself, of my temper) and yelled at them. ▪ She didn't lose her job but she lost access to all confidential company materials. ▪ The senator lost votes when he angered some of his supporters. ▪ The religious community was losing its younger members. ▪ He hasn't lost his sense of humor. ▪ They had lost all hope of winning the title. ▪ I don't want anything to eat. I've lost my appetite. [=I no longer feel hungry] ▪ She began to lose confidence in herself. [=to feel less confident] ▪ Try not to lose patience with the children. ▪ The accident victim was rapidly losing blood. ▪ I'm sorry I'm late. I lost track of the time. [=I failed to stay aware of the time; I did not realize that so much time had passed] ▪ She lost her balance [=failed to keep her weight spread equally] and fell.
b ◊If you have nothing (else/left) to lose, you cannot make a situation worse by taking a risk. If you have a lot to lose or have too much to lose, you could make your situation much worse by taking a risk or doing something.
▪ You might as well apply for the job. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. ▪ Some of them are married and have young children—they have a lot to lose. ▪ I can't quit now. I have too much to lose.
c : to fail to earn or keep (money) [+ obj] ▪ They lost all their money/savings in a poor investment. ▪ The company has been losing money for the past several years. [=it has been spending more money than it has been earning] [no obj] ▪ Investors lost heavily when the company's stock failed to meet expectations.
d [+ obj] : to have (something) taken from you or destroyed
▪ We lost (electrical) power during the storm. ▪ He lost an arm in the war. [=one of his arms was destroyed or so badly injured that it had to be removed] ▪ They lost everything in the fire. [=all their possessions were destroyed in the fire] ▪ He yelled so much during the game that he lost his voice [=he was unable to speak] for two days.
e [+ obj] : to gradually have less of (something) as time passes
▪ Many people who lose weight by dieting eventually gain the weight back. ▪ She has been losing strength in her legs. ▪ He was gradually losing his eyesight. ▪ He's losing his hair. [=becoming bald] ▪ The public seems to have lost interest in the case. 4 [+ obj] : to cause (someone) to fail to win or keep (something) : to cause the loss of (something) for (someone)
▪ One careless statement lost the election for her. = One careless statement lost her the election. [=she lost the election because of one careless statement] 5 a : to decrease in (something) [+ obj] ▪ The TV program has lost popularity [=become less popular] in recent years. ▪ The plane was losing altitude. ▪ What will you do if the company's stock loses value when you expect it to gain value? [no obj] ▪ What will you do if the stock loses when you expect it to gain?
b [+ obj] : to decrease in value by (a specified amount)
▪ His retirement account lost three percent last quarter.
c [no obj] : to decrease in value when compared to something else
▪ The dollar lost against the pound last week. 6 [+ obj] a : to experience or suffer the death of (a relative, friend, etc.)
▪ She lost her husband in the war. [=her husband was killed in the war] ▪ He lost his best friend to cancer. [=his best friend died of cancer] ▪ The country lost thousands of young men in/during the war. = Thousands of young men were lost [=killed] in/during the war. = Thousands of young men lost their lives in/during the war. ▪ She's very sick, and the doctors say they're afraid they're going to lose her. [=they're afraid that she is going to die] ▪ I was sad to hear that she lost the baby. [=that her baby died before being born or soon after being born] ▪ a sailor who was lost at sea [=who died at sea]
b : to no longer have or be with (someone who leaves)
▪ We'll be sorry to lose you when you leave for your new job. ▪ He begged his wife to forgive him and told her that he didn't want to lose her. 7 [+ obj] : to fail to keep control of (something)
▪ He lost his temper/cool/composure. [=he became angry] ▪ She wondered if she was losing her mind/sanity. [=becoming insane] ▪ He seems to be losing his nerve. [=becoming afraid] — see also lose your head at 1head 8 [+ obj] a : to fail to use (something, such as time) : waste
▪ I don't want to lose this chance/opportunity. ▪ We lost (a good bit of) time in that traffic jam. ▪ She lost no time in getting the project started. [=she got the project started immediately] ▪ We need to get started immediately. There's no time to lose.
b of a watch or clock : to show a time that is earlier than the correct time : to run slow by (an amount of time) [+ obj] ▪ My old watch loses a minute every day. [no obj] ▪ a clock that loses less than any other clock yet invented 9 [+ obj] : to explain something in a way that is not clear to (someone) : to confuse (someone)
▪ I'm sorry. You've lost me. [=I don't understand what you're telling me] ▪ I understood the first part of the lecture, but when he started to talk about quantum physics he lost me completely. [=I was completely unable to understand what he was saying] 10 [+ obj] : to succeed in getting away from (someone who is following or chasing you)
▪ She tried to lose them by turning down a side street. 11 [+ obj] informal : to get rid of (something unwanted)
▪ I just can't seem to lose this cold. ▪ Lose the attitude, okay? [=stop having a bad attitude; stop being annoyed, uncooperative, etc.] ▪ You can lose [=remove] that sentence and the paragraph will sound better.
▪ She's always losing her gloves. ▪ Don't lose your keys. ▪ Hold my hand: I don't want to lose you. ▪ The police lost him in the crowd. [=the police were no longer able to find/see him after he went into the crowd] ▪ The airline lost my luggage. [=my luggage did not arrive at the airport I flew into] ▪ He lost the fly ball in the sun. [=he was unable to see the fly ball because he was looking toward the sun] ▪ The letter was lost in the mail. [=it was sent but never delivered to the person it was addressed to]
▪ lose an advantage ▪ The country lost its independence 50 years ago. ▪ The mayor is losing power/influence/support. ▪ He is in danger of losing control of the company. ▪ She lost control of the car and skidded off the road. ▪ I was so angry that I lost control (of myself, of my temper) and yelled at them. ▪ She didn't lose her job but she lost access to all confidential company materials. ▪ The senator lost votes when he angered some of his supporters. ▪ The religious community was losing its younger members. ▪ He hasn't lost his sense of humor. ▪ They had lost all hope of winning the title. ▪ I don't want anything to eat. I've lost my appetite. [=I no longer feel hungry] ▪ She began to lose confidence in herself. [=to feel less confident] ▪ Try not to lose patience with the children. ▪ The accident victim was rapidly losing blood. ▪ I'm sorry I'm late. I lost track of the time. [=I failed to stay aware of the time; I did not realize that so much time had passed] ▪ She lost her balance [=failed to keep her weight spread equally] and fell.
b ◊If you have nothing (else/left) to lose, you cannot make a situation worse by taking a risk. If you have a lot to lose or have too much to lose, you could make your situation much worse by taking a risk or doing something.
▪ You might as well apply for the job. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. ▪ Some of them are married and have young children—they have a lot to lose. ▪ I can't quit now. I have too much to lose.
c : to fail to earn or keep (money) [+ obj] ▪ They lost all their money/savings in a poor investment. ▪ The company has been losing money for the past several years. [=it has been spending more money than it has been earning] [no obj] ▪ Investors lost heavily when the company's stock failed to meet expectations.
d [+ obj] : to have (something) taken from you or destroyed
▪ We lost (electrical) power during the storm. ▪ He lost an arm in the war. [=one of his arms was destroyed or so badly injured that it had to be removed] ▪ They lost everything in the fire. [=all their possessions were destroyed in the fire] ▪ He yelled so much during the game that he lost his voice [=he was unable to speak] for two days.
e [+ obj] : to gradually have less of (something) as time passes
▪ Many people who lose weight by dieting eventually gain the weight back. ▪ She has been losing strength in her legs. ▪ He was gradually losing his eyesight. ▪ He's losing his hair. [=becoming bald] ▪ The public seems to have lost interest in the case.
▪ One careless statement lost the election for her. = One careless statement lost her the election. [=she lost the election because of one careless statement]
b [+ obj] : to decrease in value by (a specified amount)
▪ His retirement account lost three percent last quarter.
c [no obj] : to decrease in value when compared to something else
▪ The dollar lost against the pound last week.
▪ She lost her husband in the war. [=her husband was killed in the war] ▪ He lost his best friend to cancer. [=his best friend died of cancer] ▪ The country lost thousands of young men in/during the war. = Thousands of young men were lost [=killed] in/during the war. = Thousands of young men lost their lives in/during the war. ▪ She's very sick, and the doctors say they're afraid they're going to lose her. [=they're afraid that she is going to die] ▪ I was sad to hear that she lost the baby. [=that her baby died before being born or soon after being born] ▪ a sailor who was lost at sea [=who died at sea]
b : to no longer have or be with (someone who leaves)
▪ We'll be sorry to lose you when you leave for your new job. ▪ He begged his wife to forgive him and told her that he didn't want to lose her.
▪ He lost his temper/cool/composure. [=he became angry] ▪ She wondered if she was losing her mind/sanity. [=becoming insane] ▪ He seems to be losing his nerve. [=becoming afraid] — see also lose your head at 1head
▪ I don't want to lose this chance/opportunity. ▪ We lost (a good bit of) time in that traffic jam. ▪ She lost no time in getting the project started. [=she got the project started immediately] ▪ We need to get started immediately. There's no time to lose.
b of a watch or clock : to show a time that is earlier than the correct time : to run slow by (an amount of time) [+ obj] ▪ My old watch loses a minute every day. [no obj] ▪ a clock that loses less than any other clock yet invented
▪ I'm sorry. You've lost me. [=I don't understand what you're telling me] ▪ I understood the first part of the lecture, but when he started to talk about quantum physics he lost me completely. [=I was completely unable to understand what he was saying]
▪ She tried to lose them by turning down a side street.
▪ I just can't seem to lose this cold. ▪ Lose the attitude, okay? [=stop having a bad attitude; stop being annoyed, uncooperative, etc.] ▪ You can lose [=remove] that sentence and the paragraph will sound better.
lose contact — see 1contact
lose count — see 2count
lose face — see 1face
lose ground — see 1ground
lose it
informal 1 : to become insane
▪ He was always a little strange, but now he's completely lost it. 2 : to start behaving in an uncontrolled way because you are angry or upset
▪ I was so angry that I almost lost it.
▪ He was always a little strange, but now he's completely lost it.
▪ I was so angry that I almost lost it.
lose out [phrasal verb]
: to fail to keep or get something valued or desired
▪ Whoever benefits from the new government programs, the American taxpayer is bound to lose out in the end. — often + on or to ▪ If you don't invest with us, you'll be losing out on a great opportunity! [=you'll be missing/wasting a great opportunity] ▪ She lost out to a better-known actress for the lead role. [=she did not get the lead role because a better-known actress got it]
▪ Whoever benefits from the new government programs, the American taxpayer is bound to lose out in the end. — often + on or to ▪ If you don't invest with us, you'll be losing out on a great opportunity! [=you'll be missing/wasting a great opportunity] ▪ She lost out to a better-known actress for the lead role. [=she did not get the lead role because a better-known actress got it]
lose sleep over — see 2sleep
lose the plot — see 1plot
lose touch — see 2touch
lose your bearings — see bearing
lose your grip — see 2grip
lose your head — see 1head
lose your heart — see heart
lose your life — see 1life
lose your lunch — see 1lunch
lose your marbles — see marble
lose yourself
: to give all of your attention or thought to something
▪ He lost himself in his work. ▪ a musician who completely loses herself in the music
▪ He lost himself in his work. ▪ a musician who completely loses herself in the music
lose your shirt — see shirt
lose your touch — see 2touch
lose your way — see 1way
— los·able /ˈlu:zəbəl/ adjective
▪ a losable game
/ˈlu:zəbəl/ adjective ▪ a losable game
— los·ing adjective
▪ the losing candidate in the race [=the candidate who did not win; the candidate who lost] ▪ The team is on a losing streak. ▪ The team had a losing record/season.
▪ the losing candidate in the race [=the candidate who did not win; the candidate who lost] ▪ The team is on a losing streak. ▪ The team had a losing record/season.
