different between slight vs loose

English

Etymology

From Middle English slight (“bad, of poor quality, unimportant, trivial, slender, slim, smooth, level”), from Old English sliht (“smooth, level”), from Proto-Germanic *slihtaz (“slippery, flat, level, plain”), related to English slick. Cognate with Scots slicht (“bad, of poor quality”), West Frisian sljocht (“smooth, level, plain, simple”), Dutch slecht (“bad”), Low German slecht (“bad”), German schlecht (“bad”) and schlicht (“plain, artless, natural”), Danish slet (“bad, evil, poor, nasty, wrong”), Swedish slät (“smooth”), Norwegian slett (“even”), Icelandic sléttur (“even, smooth, level”).

Pronunciation

• enPR: sl?t, IPA^(key): /sla?t/
• (US) IPA^(key): [sl?l?????]
• Rhymes: -a?t
• Homophone: sleight

Adjective

slight (comparative slighter, superlative slightest)

1. Small
   1. gentle or weak, not aggressive or powerful

   2. not thorough; superficial

   3. trifling; unimportant; insignificant
      • 1741, John Locke, Some Thoughts Concerning Education & of the Conduct of the Understanding

        Some firmly embrace doctrines upon slight grounds.

   4. (archaic or rare) not far away in space or time

   Synonyms: ignorable, meaningless, negligible, tiny; see also Thesaurus:tiny, Thesaurus:insignificant

2. of slender build
   • 1822, Sir Walter Scott, Peveril of the Peak

     his own figure, which was formerly so slight

   Synonyms: lithe, svelte, willowy; see also Thesaurus:slender

3. (regional) Even, smooth or level

   Synonyms: flat, glassy, slick; see also Thesaurus:smooth

4. (especially said of the sea) still; with little or no movement on the surface

5. (obsolete) Foolish; silly; not intellectual.

   Synonyms: daft, fatuous, soft in the head; see also Thesaurus:foolish

6. (regional, obsolete) Bad, of poor quality.
   • 1889 (first published), George Washington, Writings

     we frequently have slight Goods and sometimes old and unsaleable Articles

   Synonyms: flimsy, lousy, shoddy; see also Thesaurus:low-quality

7. (dated) Slighting; treating with disdain.

   Synonyms: contemptuous, disdainful, scornful; see also Thesaurus:disdainful

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

slight (third-person singular simple present slights, present participle slighting, simple past and past participle slighted)

1. (transitive) To treat as unimportant or not worthy of attention; to make light of.
   • 1782, William Cowper, Truth

     the wretch who slights the bounty of the skies

2. (transitive) To give lesser weight or importance to.
   • 1915, Josephine Turck Baker, Correct English (volumes 16-17, page 182)

     Incontiguously (accent on tig; the rest of the syllables slighted) means in an incontiguous manner.

   Synonym: belittle

   Antonyms: respect, value, esteem

3. (transitive) To treat with disdain or neglect, usually out of prejudice, hatred, or jealousy; to ignore disrespectfully.
   • 1833, Mary Shelley, The Mortal Immortal

     Though true of heart, she was somewhat of a coquette in manner; and I was jealous as a Turk. She slighted me in a thousand ways, yet would never acknowledge herself to be in the wrong. She would drive me mad with anger, and then force me to beg her pardon.

   Synonyms: contemn, despise

   Antonyms: respect, honor

4. (intransitive) To act negligently or carelessly. (Can we add an example for this sense?)
5. (transitive, military, of a fortification) To render no longer defensible by full or partial demolition.
6. (transitive) To make even or level.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Hexham to this entry?)

7. (transitive) To throw heedlessly.

Derived terms

• slightingly

Translations

Noun

slight (plural slights)

1. The act of slighting; a deliberate act of neglect or discourtesy.

   Synonyms: ignoring, neglect, belittlement

   Antonym: respect

   • 1793, Benjamin Franklin, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

     Never use a slighting expression to her, even in jest; for slights in jest, after frequent bandyings, are apt to end in angry earnest.
2. (obsolete) Sleight.

   • For till that stownd could never wight him harme,
     By subtilty, nor slight, nor might, nor mighty charme.

Derived terms

• put a slight upon

Translations

Further reading

• The Dictionary of the Scots Language
• The Dictionary of the Scots Language
• The Middle English Dictionary

Anagrams

• lights

Middle English

Etymology 1

From Old English sliht, from Proto-Germanic *slihtaz.

Alternative forms

• sli?t, slei?te, sle?t, slyght, sleght, sleight, sly?t

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /slixt/, /sl?xt/
• Rhymes: -ixt

Adjective

slight

1. Level, even, smooth; having no bumps or lumps.
2. (rare) Of little importance or relevance.
3. (rare) Slim, narrow, skinny; of little breadth.
4. (rare) Badly made, poorly-built, or low-quality.

Descendants

• English: slight
• Scots: slicht
• Yola: sleight

References

• “slight, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-12-12.

Etymology 2

Noun

slight

1. Alternative form of sleight

Adjective

slight

1. Alternative form of sleight

English

Etymology 1

From Middle English loos, los, lous, from Old Norse lauss, from Proto-Germanic *lausaz, whence also -less, leasing; from Proto-Indo-European *lewH-, *l?- (“to untie, set free, separate”), whence also lyo-, -lysis, via Ancient Greek.

Pronunciation

• enPR: lo?os, IPA^(key): /lu?s/
• Rhymes: -u?s

Verb

loose (third-person singular simple present looses, present participle loosing, simple past and past participle loosed)

1. (transitive) To let loose, to free from restraints.
2. (transitive) To unfasten, to loosen.
3. (transitive) To make less tight, to loosen.
4. (intransitive) Of a grip or hold, to let go.
5. (archery) To shoot (an arrow).
6. (obsolete) To set sail.
   • 1611: King James Bible, Acts 13:13

     Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.

7. (obsolete) To solve; to interpret.

   • he had red her riddle, which no wight
     Could ever loose

Synonyms

• (let loose): free, release
• (unfasten): loosen, unbind, undo, unfasten, untie
• (make less tight): loosen, relax, slacken
• (of grip or hold): let go, release
• (archery): fire, shoot

Antonyms

• (let loose): bind, constrain
• (unfasten): bind, fasten, tie
• (make less tight): tighten
• (of grip or hold): tighten
• (archery): fast

Derived terms

• loose off

Translations

Adjective

loose (comparative looser, superlative loosest)

1. Not fixed in place tightly or firmly.

2. Not held or packaged together.

3. Not under control.
4. Not fitting closely

5. Not compact.
6. Relaxed.

7. Not precise or exact; vague; indeterminate.
   • 1858, William Whewell, The history of scientific ideas

     The comparison employed […] must be considered rather as a loose analogy than as an exact scientific explanation.

8. Indiscreet.

9. (somewhat dated) Free from moral restraint; immoral, unchaste.
   • 1819, Lord Byron, Don Juan, I:

     In all these he was much and deeply read; / But not a page of any thing that's loose, / Or hints continuation of the species, / Was ever suffer'd, lest he should grow vicious.
10. (not comparable, sports) Not being in the possession of any competing team during a game.
11. (dated) Not costive; having lax bowels.
12. (of volumes of materials) Measured loosely stacked or disorganized (such as of firewood).

    Coordinate terms: stacked, solid

Synonyms

• (not fixed in place tightly or firmly): unfastened, unsecured; see also Thesaurus:loose
• (not held or packaged together): separate, unpackaged
• (not bound or tethered or leashed): free, untethered
• (not fitting closely): baggy; see also Thesaurus:loose-fitting
• (not compact): diffuse, spaced out; see also Thesaurus:diffuse
• (relaxed): loose-limbed, relaxed; see also Thesaurus:carefree
• (indiscreet): indiscreet
• (promiscuous): polygamous, promiscuous, slutty, tarty, whorish; see also Thesaurus:promiscuous

Antonyms

• (not fixed in place tightly or firmly): firm, tight; see also Thesaurus:tight
• (not held or packaged together): packaged
• (not bound or tethered or leashed): bound, leashed, tethered, tied, tied up
• (not fitting closely): close-fitting, snug, tight; see also Thesaurus:close-fitting
• (not compact): compact, firm; see also Thesaurus:compact
• (relaxed): tense, tensed
• (indiscreet): discreet
• (promiscuous): faithful, monogamous

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

loose (plural looses)

1. (archery) The release of an arrow.
2. (obsolete) A state of laxity or indulgence; unrestrained freedom, abandonment.
3. (rugby) All play other than set pieces (scrums and line-outs).
   • 2011, Tom Fordyce, Rugby World Cup 2011: England 12-19 France [4]

     The defeat will leave manager Martin Johnson under pressure after his gamble of pairing Jonny Wilkinson and Toby Flood at 10 and 12 failed to ignite the England back line, while his forwards were repeatedly second best at the set-piece and in the loose.

4. Freedom from restraint.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Prior to this entry?)

   • Vent all its griefs, and give a loose to sorrow.

   • The doctor now interposed, and prevented the effects of a wrath which was kindling between Jones and Thwackum; after which the former gave a loose to mirth, sang two or three amorous songs, and fell into every frantic disorder which unbridled joy is apt to inspire […]

5. A letting go; discharge.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Ben Jonson to this entry?)

Derived terms

• give a loose

Interjection

loose

1. (archery) begin shooting; release your arrows

Antonyms

• (archery: begin shooting): fast

Translations

Related terms

• forlorn
• lyo-, ly-
• -lysis
• lysis

Etymology 2

Verb

loose

1. Misspelling of lose.

   I'm going to loose this game.

Derived terms

• looser

Anagrams

• oleos

French

Etymology

Hypercorrectively from English lose or from looseur.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /luz/

Noun

loose f (uncountable)

1. Great pettiness, shabbiness