5 VERB If you loosen your grip on something, or if your grip loosens , you hold it less tightly. □ [V n] Harry loosened his grip momentarily and Anna wriggled free. □ [V ] When his grip loosened she eased herself away.
6 VERB If a government or organization loosens its grip on a group of people or an activity, or if its grip loosens , it begins to have less control over it. □ [V n] There is no sign that the Party will loosen its tight grip on the country. □ [V ] The President's own grip on power has loosened.
▸ loosen up
1 PHRASAL VERB If a person or situation loosens up , they become more relaxed and less tense. □ [V P ] Young people often loosen up on the dance floor. □ [V P n] I think people have loosened up their standards.
2 PHRASAL VERB If you loosen up your body, or if it loosens up , you do simple exercises to get your muscles ready for a difficult physical activity, such as running or playing football. □ [V P n] Squeeze the foot with both hands, again to loosen up tight muscles. □ [V P ] Close your eyes. Relax. Let your body loosen up. [Also V n P ]
loot /luː t/ (loots , looting , looted )
1 VERB If people loot shops or houses, they steal things from them, for example during a war or riot. □ [V n] The trouble began when gangs began breaking windows and looting shops. □ [V ] There have been reports of youths taking advantage of the general confusion to loot and steal. ● loot|ing N‑UNCOUNT □ In the country's largest cities there has been rioting and looting.
2 VERB If someone loots things, they steal them, for example during a war or riot. □ [V n] Armed thugs have looted food supplies and terrorized the population.
3 N‑UNCOUNT Loot is stolen money or goods. [INFORMAL ] □ Most criminals steal in order to sell their loot for cash on the black market.
loot|er /luː tə r / (looters ) N‑COUNT A looter is a person who steals things from shops or houses, for example during a war or riot.
lop /lɒ p/ (lops , lopping , lopped )
▸ lop off
1 PHRASAL VERB If you lop something off , you cut it away from what it was attached to, usually with a quick, strong stroke. □ [V n P ] Somebody lopped the heads off our tulips. □ [V P n] …men with axes, lopping off branches. □ [V P n] His ponytail had been lopped off.
2 PHRASAL VERB If you lop an amount of money or time off something such as a budget or a schedule, you reduce the budget or schedule by that amount. [INFORMAL ] □ [V n P n] The Air France plane lopped over four hours off the previous best time. □ [V n P n] More than 100 million pounds will be lopped off the prison building programme. [Also V P n, V n P ]
lope /loʊ p/ (lopes , loping , loped ) VERB If a person or animal lopes somewhere, they run in an easy and relaxed way, taking long steps. □ [V prep/adv] He was loping across the sand toward Nancy. □ [V prep/adv] Matty saw him go loping off, running low. [Also V ] ● lop|ing ADJ [ADJ n] □ She turned and walked away with long, loping steps.
lop|sided /lɒ psa I d I d/ also lop-sided ADJ Something that is lopsided is uneven because one side is lower or heavier than the other. □ His suit had shoulders that made him look lopsided. □ …a friendly, lopsided grin.
lo|qua|cious /ləkwe I ʃəs/ ADJ If you describe someone as loquacious , you mean that they talk a lot. [FORMAL ] □ The normally loquacious Mr O'Reilly has said little.
lord ◆◆◇ /lɔː r d/ (lords )
1 N‑COUNT ; N‑TITLE In Britain, a lord is a man who has a high rank in the nobility, for example an earl, a viscount, or a marquis. □ She married a lord and lives in this huge house in the Cotswolds. □ A few days earlier he had received a telegram from Lord Lloyd.
2 N‑COUNT In Britain, judges, bishops, and some male members of the nobility are addressed as ' my Lord '. [POLITENESS ] □ My lord, I am instructed by my client to claim that the evidence has been tampered with.
3 In Britain, Lord is used in the titles of some officials of very high rank. □ He was Lord Chancellor from 1970 until 1974. □ …the head of the judiciary, the Lord Chief Justice.
4 N‑PROPER [with sing or pl verb] The Lords is the same as the House of Lords . □ It's very likely the bill will be defeated in the Lords.
5 N‑PROPER In the Christian church, people refer to God and to Jesus Christ as the Lord . □ I know the Lord will look after him. □ She prayed now. 'Lord, help me to find courage.' □ …the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ.
6 → see also Our Lord
7 EXCLAM Lord is used in exclamations such as ' good Lord! ' and ' oh Lord! ' to express surprise, shock, frustration, or annoyance about something. [FEELINGS ] □ 'Good lord, that's what he is: he's a police officer.' □ 'They didn't fire you for drinking, did they?'—'Lord, no! I only drink beer, nowadays.'
lord|ly /lɔː r dli/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you say that someone's behaviour is lordly , you are critical of them because they treat other people in a proud and arrogant way. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ …their usual lordly indifference to patients.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] Lordly means impressive and suitable for a lord. □ …the site of a lordly mansion.
Lord|ship /lɔː r dʃ I p/ (Lordships ) N‑COUNT ; N‑PROPER You use the expressions Your Lordship , His Lordship , or Their Lordships when you are addressing or referring to a judge, bishop, or male member of the nobility. [POLITENESS ] □ My name is Richard Savage, your Lordship. □ His Lordship expressed the hope that the Law Commission might look at the subject.