Precarious vs Loose - What's the difference?
precarious | loose |
(comparable) Dangerously insecure or unstable; perilous.
*
, title=(The Celebrity), chapter=4
, passage=One morning I had been driven to the precarious refuge afforded by the steps of the inn, after rejecting offers from the Celebrity to join him in a variety of amusements. But even here I was not free from interruption, for he was seated on a horse-block below me, playing with a fox terrier.}}
(legal) Depending on the intention of another.
(dentistry) Relating to incipient caries.
To let loose, to free from restraints.
* Bible, Matthew xxi. 2
To unfasten, to loosen.
To make less tight, to loosen.
Of a grip or hold, to let go.
(archery) to shoot (an arrow)
(obsolete) To set sail.
* 1611 :
(obsolete) To solve; to interpret.
Not fixed in place tightly or firmly.
Not held or packaged together.
Not under control.
* Addison
Not fitting closely
Not compact.
* Milton
Relaxed.
Not precise or exact; vague; indeterminate.
* Whewell
.
(dated) Free from moral restraint; immoral, unchaste.
* 1819 , Lord Byron, Don Juan , I:
* Spenser
* Sir Walter Scott
(not comparable, sports) Not being in the possession of any competing team during a game.
* {{quote-news
, year=2011
, date=September 28
, author=Tom Rostance
, title=Arsenal 2 - 1 Olympiakos
, work=BBC Sport
(dated) Not costive; having lax bowels.
(archery) The release of an arrow.
(obsolete) A state of laxity or indulgence; unrestrained freedom, abandonment.
(sports)
* 2011 , Tom Fordyce, Rugby World Cup 2011: England 12-19 France [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/15210221.stm]
Freedom from restraint.
* Addison
A letting go; discharge.
As adjectives the difference between precarious and loose
is that precarious is (comparable) dangerously insecure or unstable; perilous or precarious can be (dentistry) relating to incipient caries while loose is not fixed in place tightly or firmly.As a verb loose is
to let loose, to free from restraints or loose can be .As a noun loose is
(archery) the release of an arrow.As an interjection loose is
(archery) begin shooting; release your arrows.precarious
English
Etymology 1
From (etyl) , and Spanish and Italian precario.Adjective
(en adjective)Synonyms
* (not held or fixed securely and likely to fall over) unsteady, rickety, shaky, tottering, unsafe, unstable, wobblyUsage notes
* Because the (term) element of (term) derives from prex and not the preposition prae, this term cannot — etymologically speaking — be written as *.Quotations
* 1906 , (Jack London), , part I, ch III, *: Never had he been so fond of this body of his as now when his tenure of it was so precarious .Derived terms
* precariously * precariousness * precariat * precarisation, precarization * precarityExternal links
* *Etymology 2
pre-'' + ''cariousAdjective
(-)loose
English
Etymology 1
(etyl) , whence also (m), (m), via Ancient Greek.Verb
(loos)- Ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her; loose them, and bring them unto me.
- Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.
- (Spenser)
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, shootAntonyms
* (let loose) bind, constrain * (unfasten) bind, fasten, tie * (make less tight) tighten * (of grip or hold) tighten * (archery) fastAdjective
(er)- This wheelbarrow has a loose wheel.
- You can buy apples in a pack, but they are cheaper loose .
- The dog is loose again.
- Now I stand / Loose of my vow; but who knows Cato's thoughts?
- I wear loose clothes when it is hot.
- It is difficult walking on loose gravel.
- a cloth of loose texture
- with horse and chariots ranked in loose array
- She danced with a loose flowing movement.
- a loose way of reasoning
- The comparison employed must be considered rather as a loose analogy than as an exact scientific explanation.
- Loose talk costs lives.
- 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.
- loose ladies in delight
- the loose morality which he had learned
- He caught an elbow going after a loose ball.
- The puck was momentarily loose right in front of the net.
citation, page= , passage=Tomas Rosicky released the left-back with a fine pass but his low cross was cut out by Ivan Marcano. However the Brazilian was able to collect the loose ball, cut inside and roll a right-footed effort past Franco Costanzo at his near post.}}
- (John Locke)
Synonyms
* (not fixed in place tightly or firmly) * (not held or packaged together) separate, unpackaged * (not bound or tethered or leashed) free, untethered * (not fitting closely) baggy * (not compact) * (relaxed) loose-limbed, relaxed * (indiscreet) indiscreet * (promiscuous) polygamous, promiscuous, slutty, tarty, whorishAntonyms
* (not fixed in place tightly or firmly) * (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 * (not compact) compact, firm * (relaxed) tense, tensed * (indiscreet) discreet * (promiscuous) faithful, monogamousDerived terms
* break loose * cast loose * cut loose * hang loose * let loose * loosen * loose coupling * loose lip * on the loose * stay loose * turn looseNoun
(en noun)- 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 .
- (Prior)
- Vent all its griefs, and give a loose to sorrow.
- (Ben Jonson)
Derived terms
* give a looseAntonyms
* fastAnagrams
*Etymology 2
Verb
(head)- I'm going to loose this game.