LOOSE

(NOT FIXED) [adjective] -r, -st - not firmly fixed in placeThere were some loose wires hanging out of the wall.I'd better sew that loose button back on before it comes off.The nails in the bridge had worked themselves loose.The prisoners were so thin that their skin hung loose.Hair that is loose is not tied back.Her hair was hanging loose about her shoulders.Loose items are those which are not fixed or held together or to anything else.A few loose sheets of paper were lying around.If you let/set an animal loose, you allow it to run around freely after it has been tied up.She let her horse loose in the field.If you let a person loose on a place, you allow them to do what they want although you think they are likely to do something foolish.A bunch of idiots was let loose on a nuclear power station.If a dangerous person is loose in a place or on the loose, they are free to move around a place and harm people.Police fear a serial killer might be loose in London.Brewer escaped from prison last year and has been on the loose ever since.If you let loose something such as bullets or bombs, you release a lot of them all together.The allies let loose an intensive artillery bombardment over the border.(figurative) He let loose a shriek of delight (= made it without trying to control it).If you are at a loose end, you are bored because you have nothing to do.(US informal) If you hang/stay loose, you are calm and relaxed.Loose change means the coins that you have in your pocket or purse.Please donate your loose change to this worthwhile cause.Loose covers on a chair or sofa are covers that you can remove for cleaning.Loose ends are things that still need to be done or explained.At the end of the film all the loose ends are neatly tied up.A loose-leaf book is one where the pages can easily be taken out and put back again.