Obs. Forms: 3–5 (9 arch.) los, (4 looz), 4–5 loes, loose, 4–6 loos, lose, Sc. loiss, (5 loce, Sc. loyse, 6 Sc. loze, loys), 5–6 loss(e, Sc. lois. [a. OF. los, loz, loos:—L. laudēs, pl. of laus praise.] Praise; renown, fame. Also in neutral sense, (good or bad) reputation; occas. ill fame. Out of lose: to one’s dispraise.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 3917. Þe kinges los so wyde sprong ynow … þat hor herte to him drou.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 8750. Or þis doom [of Solomon’s] fer sprong þe loos.
1340. Ayenb., 26. Ypocrites þet … doþ manie penonces an guode principalliche uor þe los of þe wordle.
1387–8. T. Usk, Test. Love, I. vi. (Skeat), l. 179. Yevynge me name of badde loos.
1390. Gower, Conf., I. 351. A Duc … Which was a worthi kniht of los.
c. 1400. Maundev. (1839), x. 89. In that time there weren 3 Heroudes, of gret Name and Loos for here crueltee.
14[?]. Lydg., Flour of Curtesye, 234. Lest out of lose any word asterte In this metre, to make it seme lame.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 313/2. Loos or bad name, infamia.
1456. Sir G. Haye, Law Arms (S.T.S.), 141. He did nocht his dedis of honour … for hir sake, but for his awin los.
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., xxii. 202. Youre knyghtes of good lose.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, XIII. iii. 51. O glory and renown of loys, in vayn.
1589. Puttenham, Eng. Poesie, III. xix. (Arb.), 244. That thy loze, ne name may neuer dye.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., VI. xii. 12. Besides the losse of so much loos and fame.
1825. Scott, Talism., vii. I am a belted knight, and come hither to acquire los and fame in this mortal life.
