I. ˈlüp noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English loupe; perhaps akin to Middle Dutch lupen to lie in wait, watch, peer
archaic : a small narrow opening (as in a wall) : loophole
massy walls … exhibited loops for archers — Ann Radcliffe
II. noun
( -s )
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle English loupe, of unknown origin
1.
a. : a fold or doubling of a line (as a thread, cord, or rope) leaving an aperture between the parts through which another line can be passed or into which a hook may be hooked
b. : such a fold of cord or ribbon serving as an ornament (as on a uniform) — see shoulder loop
c. : loop knot
2.
a. : something (as a figure, course, formation, or structure) having the shape of a loop
the loop of the “a” was formed with some irregularity — F.W.Crofts
saw the loop of a river — John Buchan
the driveway turns in a loop before a fine … gate — American Guide Series: Virginia
b. : a turning area for cars, locomotives, or trains at the end of a railway or a street railway
c. : the portion of a lasso forming a noose
the loop settled over his prey — P.B.Kyne
d.
(1) : a school figure in which a skater executes a semicircle followed immediately by a complete revolution around his vertical axis finishing with a second semicircle and thus tracing an oval within a larger circle while remaining on the same edge throughout
(2) : a figure resembling a small figure eight made by following the first loop with a second one executed on the same edge of the opposite foot
e. : a surgical electrode in the form of a loop
f. : a maneuver in which an airplane starting from straight and level flight passes successively through a climb, inverted flight, a dive, and then returns to normal flight — called also inside loop ; compare outside loop
g. : a curved sand bar enclosing or nearly enclosing a body of water
h. : a road constituting a detour or an arm of a cloverleaf off a main thoroughfare
graveled side loops so that you can park off the highway — Mary Richards
3. : a ring or curved piece made of some material (as wood, metal, or cloth) and used to form a fastening or a handle : eye , staple
jeans with five belt loops — advt
4.
a. : the portion of a vibrating string, air column, or other vibrating body between two nodes
b. : the middle point of such a portion
5. : a fingerprint in which some of the papillary ridges make a single backward turn without any twist — compare arch 3e, whorl ; see fingerprint illustration
6.
[probably from the Loop, important business district in Chicago, Illinois]
: the main business section or the most congested part of a city
a large loop spread over many blocks — Norman Katkov
7. : a closed electric circuit: as
a. : one cell of a mesh or lattice
b. : a power feeder that returns to the point of origin and can thus feed in either direction
8. : a wire usually of platinum bent at one end into a small loop (usually 4 millimeters in inside diameter) and used in transferring microorganisms — compare needle
9. : an athletic conference or league
10. : a lateral movement made by a defensive player when the ball is snapped in football
11. : an 18-hole round of golf
12. : loop antenna
13. : a portion of film or magnetic tape
•
- for a loop
- on the loop
III. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
intransitive verb
1. : to form a loop
the river loops around the city
2. : to move (as through the air) in loops
the ring-billed gulls loop above … the lake — American Guide Series: Minnesota
a grenade came looping through the air — Lionel Shapiro
3. : to execute a loop in an airplane
transitive verb
1.
a. : to place (something) within a loop : make a loop on or about
looped his finger with string
lakes that loop the town … like a chain of beads — American Guide Series: Minnesota
b. : to fasten with a loop
the car is looped to the bag by steel cables — H.W.Baldwin
— often used with up
loop up a curtain
c. : to make a loop in or of
loop a string
2. : to furnish with loopholes
3. : to join (two courses of loops) in knitting
4. : to connect (electric conductors) so as to complete a loop
5. : to cause (an airplane) to go into a loop
6. : to cause to move especially through the air in a course resembling or characterized by a loop
looped the grenade into the enemy trench
looped a long forward pass downfield
•
- loop the loop
IV. noun
1. : a series of instructions (as for a computer) that is repeated usually until a terminating condition is reached
2. : intrauterine device herein ; especially : lippes loop herein
3. : an exclusive group having privileged knowledge or influence
cut dissenters out of the loop
4. : cycle 2a
caught in the loop of co-dependency
5. : a continuously repeated segment of music, dialogue, or images
a drum loop