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Loosen vs Leese - What's the difference?

loosen | leese |

As verbs the difference between loosen and leese

is that loosen is to make loose while leese is (obsolete) to lose or leese can be (obsolete) to release, set free.

loosen

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • To make loose.
    • to loosen a knot
    After the Thanksgiving meal, Bill loosened his belt.
  • * Francis Bacon
    • After a year's rooting, then shaking doth the tree good by loosening of the earth.
  • To free from restraint; to set at liberty.
  • * Dryden
    • It loosens his hands, and assists his understanding.
  • To remove costiveness from; to facilitate or increase the alvine discharges of.
    • (Francis Bacon)

    Antonyms

    * tighten

    Derived terms

    * loosen the apron strings * loosen the purse strings * loosener

    Related terms

    * loose * unloosen

    See also

    * lose English ergative verbs

    leese

    English

    Etymology 1

    (etyl) (only attested in compounds), from Germanic.

    Verb

    (lees)
  • (obsolete) To lose.
  • * Lord Burleigh
    • They would rather leese their friend than their jest.

    Etymology 2

    (etyl) .

    Verb

    (lees)
  • (obsolete) To release, set free.
  • (obsolete) To loosen, unfasten.