let loose

verb

1. express audibly; utter sounds (not necessarily words) (Freq. 1)

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She let out a big heavy sigh

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He uttered strange sounds that nobody could understand

• Syn: ↑utter, ↑emit, ↑let out

• Derivationally related forms: ↑utterable (for: ↑utter), ↑utterer (for: ↑utter), ↑utterance (for: ↑utter)

• Hyponyms:

↑call, ↑gibber, ↑crow, ↑trumpet, ↑coo, ↑shout, ↑shout out, ↑cry, ↑yell, ↑scream, ↑holler, ↑hollo, ↑squall, ↑miaou, ↑miaow, ↑tsk, ↑tut, ↑tut-tut, ↑repeat, ↑echo, ↑shoot, ↑gurgle, ↑nasale, ↑bite out, ↑sigh, ↑troat, ↑lift, ↑pant, ↑volley, ↑break into, ↑heave, ↑chorus, ↑sputter, ↑splutter, ↑deliver, ↑hoot, ↑grunt, ↑wolf-whistle, ↑snort, ↑spit, ↑spit out, ↑groan, ↑moan, ↑grumble, ↑growl, ↑rumble, ↑howl, ↑wrawl, ↑yammer, ↑yowl, ↑bark, ↑bleat, ↑blate, ↑blat, ↑baa, ↑bellow, ↑roar, ↑peep, ↑cheep, ↑chirp, ↑chirrup, ↑churr, ↑whirr, ↑chirr, ↑meow, ↑mew, ↑quack, ↑honk, ↑cronk, ↑hiss, ↑siss, ↑sizz, ↑sibilate, ↑hee-haw, ↑bray, ↑squeal, ↑oink, ↑cluck, ↑click, ↑clack, ↑moo, ↑low, ↑cackle, ↑gobble, ↑neigh, ↑nicker, ↑whicker, ↑whinny, ↑gargle, ↑caw, ↑haw, ↑hem, ↑croak, ↑sing, ↑smack, ↑give

• Verb Frames:

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Somebody ——s something

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Something ——s something

2. turn loose or free from restraint

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let loose mines

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Loose terrible plagues upon humanity

• Syn: ↑unleash, ↑loose

• Hypernyms: ↑let go of, ↑let go, ↑release, ↑relinquish

• Verb Frames:

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Somebody ——s something

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Somebody ——s somebody

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Something ——s somebody

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Something ——s something

* * *

phrasal

1.

a. : to turn loose or free from restraint : let go : liberate

floating mines, evidently let loose by French patrols — P.W.Thompson

an entomologist who was let loose on the same small area — C.W.M.Swithinbank

the rancors let loose by war — J.D.Hicks

b. : to give rise to : set off

the great success of the pioneer lines let loose a torrent of speculative buying — O.S.Nock

2. : to let fly

I do now let loose my opinion — Shakespeare

let loose a torrent of invective — Albert Dasnoy

let loose a tremendous outburst of laughter — Walter O'Meara

a machine gun let loose on me — Mack Morriss

specifically : to pour down rain

get the shocks into the stack before the skies let loose — Irving Dilliard

3. : to throw off restraint : let go : give way

the friction clutch would let loose at its appointed tension — F.J.Haskin

* * *

let loose

1. To set free

2. To let go of restraint, to indulge in unrestrained talk or conduct

• • •

Main Entry: ↑let

————————

let loose

To set at liberty

• • •

Main Entry: ↑loose

* * *

let loose — see ↑loose, 1

• • •

Main Entry: ↑let

————————

let loose

1 let (someone or something) loose or set/turn (someone or something) loose : to allow (someone or something) to move or go freely

He let/set the dogs loose in the courtyard.

cattle let loose to graze on the green fields

— often used figuratively

It's the end of the school year, when schools turn students loose on our towns.

a director who's willing to let her actors loose to interpret their roles however they see fit

how to stop the violence that has been let loose [=loosed] on the city

2 : to produce (something, such as a cry) in a sudden and forceful way

The crowd let loose [=let out] an enormous groan when the pass was intercepted.

She let loose (with) a scream.

• • •

Main Entry: ↑loose

* * *

let ˈloose idiom

(BrE) (NAmE cut ˈloose) (informal) to do sth or to happen in a way that is not controlled

•

Teenagers need a place to let loose.

Main entry: ↑loose_idiom