What is the difference between losing and loosing?

1. 94

   Vellurposted 10 years ago

   What is the difference between losing and loosing?

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2. 59

   Sunny Riverposted 10 years ago

   Loosing is to release something as in "He was loosing the knot to free the horse's reins."
   Losing is to have lost something as in "She was losing her sanity trying to finish the paper on time."
   Hope that helped.

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      Vellurposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you for answering, now I know.

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3. 93

   Paul Kuehnposted 10 years ago

   Vellur, I know what you are saying, but I have never used the word "loosing."  I have used the word "loosening" as in "loosening the knot" which Sunny River refers to.  The meaning of "losing" is exactly what Sunny River has stated.  I hope you are clear on these words now.

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      Vellurposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I am now thank you.

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4. 85

   SidKempposted 10 years ago

   In most cases that I've seen in writing, "loosing" is a misspelling or misuse, where "losing" is the proper term. To "lose" can mean either to stop having something you once had (as in "I lost my pencil" or "I lost my sanity"), or it can mean the opposite of winning.
   
   Loosing is a word that is rarely used (at least properly) and refers to the verb "to let loose," as in "to set free, either temporarily or permanently." It would apply to loosing an animal, either setting it free or for hunting or chase ("let loose the dogs of war" Shakespeare).
   
   Loosening is not the same as loosing. We loosen something when we make it less tight, but we don't release it entirely. Now, if an animal is tied up, loosening it's tie or reins might be a way of loosing the animal, but we'd probably be better off releasing the reins, lest the loose animal get tangled!

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   1. 94

      Vellurposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you, now I understand.

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      alancaster149posted 10 years agoin reply to this

      'Loosing' has the same roots as 'loosening', Sid. it's just another shift in the language. (Never mind quoting Will S., the real revolutionaries in the language stakes were Geoffrey Chaucer and William Caxton).

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5. 71

   stanwshuraposted 10 years ago

   To lose is to fail or underperform, OR to misplace something or someone(!).  Loosing is not a word.  It is the wrongly formed nonword for loosening, meaning to release to some degree - as in a knot, a grip, or even a rule.

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   1. 94

      Vellurposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you for answering, I understand.

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      alancaster149posted 10 years agoin reply to this

      The phrase is 'loosing off', and goes back a bit. It's used in modern day archery as the present participle.

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6. 91

   Savio Dawsonposted 10 years ago

   I think you mean the difference between lose and loose. Here are the dictionary meaning"
   
   Loose: Not firmly or tightly fixed in place; detached or able to be detached: "a loose tooth"
   
   Lose: Be deprived of or cease to have or retain (something): "I've lost my appetite"
   
   These are also the words which are erroneously used in place of each other.. So also "losing" is a correct word but "loosing" is not only incorrect but also erroneously used in place of losing. Hope it answers!

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      Vellurposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you, I get it.

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   alancaster149posted 10 years ago

   You can say 'loosing off', as in using a bow and arrow as a weapon. I have used the phrase in my books rather than 'firing off', which is a phraselet that came in with the use of gunpowder. You might 'loose' off when you lose your temper with someone or something (or even with yourself). Hunting hounds are 'loosed off' when the prey is sighted. Then when they lose sight of the prey they 'loose off' the sniffer dogs.
   It's not commonly used these days, so unsurprisingly you might not have heard of it for that reason. Older people might use it. Some phrases are lost that way from one generation to another. (Since I started writing my books about early mediaeval 'goings-on' in England in 1066 and after, I've had to use a lot of alternative, lesser-known phrases or expressions, a bit like pre-Shakespearean, but many people still used the phrases until recently).
   .

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      SidKempposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      One can also "loose" a bow, meaning to release the bowstring and allow the arrow to fly, without the "off."

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      alancaster149posted 10 years agoin reply to this

      That's 'loosen' (vb).

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      Vellurposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you alancaster149 for explaining.

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   lovebuglenaposted 10 years ago

   Lose means to not have something anymore, or to not come in first in a race. Loose means something is not tight, like a screw or a person's pants for example. Losing is a variation of lose. Loosing is a variation of loose.

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   1. 94

      Vellurposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Oh yes, thank you for taking the time to answer.

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