loose and lose are frequently confused. the s in lose sounds like a “z”. lose is the opposite of win, and loser is a common insult, like in this song by beck.
loose means free, not restricting or binding. it is used in various expressions like on the loose (free, not captured), stay loose (relax, don’t get nervous), (get a little crazy or release) and loose lips (to refer to someone who can’t keep a secret).
and paul simon‘s song the boy in the bubble, a description of modern life on planet earth at 2:35 says
these are the days of lasers in the jungle, lasers in the jungle somewhere
staccato signals of constant information, a loose affiliation of millionaires & billionaires
a loose affiliation implies a working relationship, but one that is not particularly close.
a loose-fitting dress
tight is the opposite of loose. it can be used to describe well developed body parts or the human body in general, something that is well organized, or two friends who are very close. some typical expressions are tight security (difficult access), a tight schedule (very busy) and a tight ship (disciplined).
tight-fitting shorts [left] and yoga pants [right] (rsvlts.com)
when george clooney says “damn, we’re in a tight spot” several times in this scene from o brother where art thou the idea is that he and his companions are in a difficult position.
a tight squeeze means there isn’t enough space.
can they squeeze in one more?
and in twilight edward tells bella “hold on tight, spider monkey” before they fly to the top of a tree.
can u apply any of these expressions? post an example under leave a reply
