Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. to relax.

1973		Time 26 Mar. K2: Many students here have been frantically doing soapers for more than a year, knowing little about the dangers and caring only that the pills are a great way to get loose.
1980		N. George ‘Rapping Deejays’ in Buppies, B-Boys, Baps and Bohos (1994) 44: Low-on-the-ladder office workers [...] who smoke their herb, search for some companionship, and in general get loose.
1995		J. Cameron Vinnie Got Blown Away 121: Marigold and me we stood in line for a play on the pool, got loose with the rum.

2. to throw some punches; also get loose on.

1989

P. Munro Sl. U.

3. to dance, to have fun.

1989		P. Munro Sl. U.
1999		(con. 1979–80) A. Wheatle Brixton Rock (2004) 91: People go there [i.e. a club] to freak out, you know, get loose.

see separate entries.

see separate entries.

see under ball n.¹

a prostitute; thus loose-bodied adj., promiscuous, involved in prostitution.

1593		Shakespeare Taming of the Shrew IV iii: Master, if ever I said loose-bodied gowne, sow me in the skirts of it, and beat me to death with a bottom of brown thread.
1608		Dekker Honest Whore Pt 2 (1630) V ii: If I goe among the Loose-bodied Gownes, they cry a pox on me, because I goe ciuilly attyred.
1615		R. Brathwait Strappado 40: A civill matron, lisping with forsooth, / As one that had not heart to sweare an oath, / In Crave attire, French hood, all Frenchefide, / For she had some-thing more of French beside, / Her outward rayment in a loose-gowne made.
1621		Jonson Gypsies Metamorphosed 33: Christian shall get her a loose bodied gowne / In tryeing how a gentleman differs from a Clowne.
1623		J. Taylor ‘World runnes on Wheeles’ in Works (1869) II 244: A Coach hath loose curtaines, a whore hath a loose Gowne.
1656		L. Price Here’s Jack in the Box 11: Here are gallant fine white Holland Smocks, and Aprons white, whosoever weares of those Aprons, will be taken for some loose bodyed Gentlewoman.
a.1691		‘The Married Estate’ in Ebsworth Merry Drollery Compleat (1875) 23: There’s Item set down, / For a loose-bodied Gown, / In her longing, you must not deceive her.
1699		A great & famous scoldling-match 6: Sure you have forgot since the Taylor of Spittle-fields made you a Loose boddied Gown, and when he brought it home, put in a Yard more than your Husband allow‘d of.
1855		C. Kingsley Westward Ho III 295: Here’s a fellow calls himself the captain of a ship, and Her Majesty’s servant, and talks about failing, as if he were a Barbican loose-kirtle trying to keep her applesquire ashore!

a brougham or similar vehicle owned by a kept woman or a well-off prostitute.

1864, 1867, 1870		Hotten Sl. Dict.
1873		Sl. Dict.

(US) an unstable individual.

2021

T. Swerdlow Straight Dope [ebook] [A] loose can who, like so many others, had figured out a way to turn a near terminal case of ADD into as thriving Hollywood career.”.

see under ends n.¹

see under fish n.¹

see louse house under louse n.

(US) derog. term for a sexually active female.

2014

C. Eble (ed.) UNC-CH Campus Sl. Spring 2014 9: LOOSE LEAF — someone promiscuous: ‘I heard about Sally’s exploits last night. She’s such a loose leaf’.

1. suffering from diarrhoea.

1989

listed in OED (2nd edn).

2. (US) promiscuous; cite 1905 refers to prostitutes.

[1598		Marston ‘Hem nosti’n’ Satyres II E6: One must invocate some lose-legg’d dame, / Some brothell drab].
[1607		Rowlands Diogenes Lanthorne 12: See how hee laughs to him selfe, at yonder playne gentlewoman in the old fashion, because she ha’s not the trash and trumpery of mistris Loose-legges about her].
1905		Sun. Times (Perth) 29 Jan. 1/1: It’s getting up to the police to yard in the loose-leg legion.
1967		M. Braly On the Yard (2002) 66: She was a dirty, cheating, loose-legged slut.

(US black) an informer.

1992

Bentley & Corbett Prison Sl. 50: Loose Link An informer.

see under screw n.²

see under wig n.²

see separate entries.

(Irish) to be free to live one’s life without restraint.

1914		Truth (Melbourne) 31 Jan. 7/4: These girls [...] had been given a loose leg by their mother on their asking permission to visit a married sister in Woy-Woy.
1997		Share Slanguage.

see under bean n.¹

1. suffering from diarrhoea.

1616		N. Breton Crossing of Proverbs in Works II n.p.: P: A light supper makes cleane sheets. C: Not so, he that is loose in the hiltes, may make work for the Laundresse.
c.1620		Fletcher Women Pleased III ii: What can he do, he cannot suck an egg off But his back’s loose ith’ hilts.
1654		E. Gayton Pleasant Notes III xxi 270: But as slie Sancho politiquely found / His master to be loose i’th’ hilts, (though bound).
a.1661		‘Bum-Fodder’ Rump Poems and Songs 1662: II 56: For if they stay longer, they will us beguilt / With Government that is loose in the hilt.
1997		Roger’s Profanisaurus in Viz 87 Dec. n.p.: loose at the hilt adj. To have diarrhoea; crop spray (qv).

2. maritally unfaithful.

c.1617		Fletcher Chances II iii: She is loose i’th hilts by Heav’n.
1670		J. Ray Proverbs 216: She’s loose in the hilts.
1682		Buckingham Chances II iii: [as cit. 1617].

3. drunk.

1737

B. Franklin ‘Drinkers Dictionary’ in Pennsylvania Gazette 6 Jan. in AS XII:2 91: They come to be well understood to signify plainly that A MAN IS DRUNK. [...] Loose in the Hilts.

of a woman, wanton, promiscuous.

1719

D’Urfey Pills to Purge Melancholy in DSUE (1984).

mad, eccentric.

2003

Numb_nutz posting 20 Feb. at FreeTrainers.com 🌐 They seem to pump me up...and get me in the mood...no im not a psycho...just a little loose up top.