I. loop 1 /luːp/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Origin: Perhaps from Scottish Gaelic lub 'loop, bend' ]
1 . SHAPE OR LINE a shape like a curve or a circle made by a line curving back towards itself, or a piece of wire, string etc that has this shape
loop of wire/rope/string etc
A loop of wire held the gate shut.
belt loop (=a loop of material for holding a belt on trousers etc)
2 . COMPUTER a set of operations in a computer program that are continuously repeated
3 . FILM/MUSIC a film or music loop contains images or sounds that are continuously repeated
4 . be in the loop/be out of the loop informal to be or not be part of a group of people who make important decisions
5 . knock/throw somebody for a loop American English informal to surprise and upset someone
6 . ROAD/RAILWAY British English a road or railway line that leaves the main road or track and then joins it again further on
II. loop 2 BrE AmE verb
1 . [intransitive and transitive] to make a loop or make something into a loop
loop something over/around etc something
He looped the rope over the post.
2 . [intransitive] to move in a circular direction that forms the shape of a loop:
The ball looped over the goalkeeper into the back of the net.
3 . loop the loop to fly a plane up and around in a circle so that the plane is ↑ upside down for a time