/ ləʊf; NAmE loʊf/ noun , verb
■ noun
( pl. loaves / ləʊvz; NAmE loʊvz/) an amount of bread that has been shaped and baked in one piece :
a loaf of bread
Two white loaves, please.
a sliced loaf
—see also cottage loaf , French loaf , meat loaf
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IDIOMS
see half determiner , use verb
■ verb
[ v ] loaf (about / around) ( informal ) to spend your time not doing anything, especially when you should be working
SYN hang about / around :
A group of kids were loafing around outside.
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WORD ORIGIN
noun Old English hlāf , of Germanic origin; related to German Laib .
verb mid 19th cent.: probably a back-formation from loafer .