Forms: 1–3 los (only in dat. lose, in Lay. occas. written leose), 4–5 los, loos, (5 loose, 6 Sc. lois), 4–7 losse, (5 losce), 4– loss. [Prob. two distinct formations. The OE. los (? neut.), found only in the phr. tó lose (weorðan, ʓedón), corresponds to ON. los neut., ‘breaking up of the ranks of an army’ (Vigf.):—OTeut. *loso-m (a parallel formation with OE. lor LORE sb.2:—OTeut. *lozo-m), f. *lus-, wk. grade of the root *leus-, *laus-: see LEESE v., LEASE a., LOOSE a. (The etymological sense may be rendered by ‘dissolution’; cf. the ON. use.) As this word occurs in OE. and early ME. only in the dative (which if it had survived would have normally become lōse with voiced s), it cannot, unless the uninflected cases were preserved unrecorded, account for the mod. form. The word in its later use as a noun of action to leese, lose vbs., appears first in the middle of the 14th c., and may have been a back-formation from the pa. pple. lost; cf. LOST sb., which is of contemporary date.]
1. Perdition, ruin, destruction, the condition or fact of being ‘lost,’ destroyed or ruined. Now only with mixture of other senses; cf. LOSE v.1 2 b.
c. 897. K. Ælfred, Gregory’s Past., xxxvi. 249. Ðonne ʓe to lose weorðað.
c. 1205. Lay., 3903. Heore lif heom eode al to leose [for lose; rhyming with neose = nose]. Ibid. (c. 1275), 22844. And so hi solle go to lose.
1483. Caxton, Cato, G j b. Whan they seken … the losse and the dethe of yonge chyldren.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Hen. VI., 115. Bothe her body and soule, wer gotten again out of eternall losse and perdicion.
1605. Shaks., Lear, III. vi. 102. His life With thine, and all that offer to defend him, Stand in assured losse.
1667. Milton, P. L., III. 308. Thou hast … quitted all to save A World from utter loss.
1743. Bulkeley & Cummins, Voy. S. Seas, 104. The Loss of the Ship, was the Loss of him.
1784. Cowper, Tiroc., 166. Describe a Saviour’s cross As God’s expedient to retrieve his loss.
1839. Macaulay, Ess., Gladstone on Ch. & State (1880), 481. Is not the loss of one soul a greater evil than the extinction of many lives?
2. The fact of losing (something specified or contextually implied). See the senses of LOSE v.1 Const. with of or objective genitive.
a. The being deprived of, or the failure to keep (a possession, appurtenance, right, quality, faculty, or the like).
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XIX. 287. Losse of worldely catel.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., VI. v. (1495), 193. Chyldren wepe more for the losse of an apple than for the losse of theyr herytage.
1562–3. Act 5 Eliz., c. 14 § 12. Persons that shall so offende … shall have Imprisonement, losse of Eares, slytting and searing of Nose.
1620. T. Granger, Div. Logike, I. xxxvii. 109. The losse of power, and vertue in all liuing things … is the privation thereof.
1671. Milton, Samson, 67. O loss of sight, of thee I most complain!
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1776), III. 180. William the Conqueror … punished such as were convicted of killing the wild boar in his forests, with the loss of their eyes.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., ii. I. 194. The Papists of Ireland attributed to him the loss of their lands.
1864. Trevelyan, Compet. Wallah (1866), 299. The words, ‘loss of caste,’ convey to an English gentleman’s mind no more terrible idea than that of marrying his laundress.
1896. J. H. Clarke, Cold-Catching, Cold-Preventing, etc. 66. Among the sequelae of a cold in the head … may be mentioned loss of taste and smell.
b. Loss of life: the being put to death (as a punishment). Also, in generalized sense, the destruction or ‘sacrifice’ of human lives.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Knt.’s T., 1685. Vp peyne of los of lyf.
1582. N. Lichefield, trans. Castanheda’s Conq. E. Ind., I. viii. 20. Not willing they should … susteine crueltie, or losse of lyfe.
1595. Shaks., John, IV. iii. 106. I lou’d him, and will weepe My date of life out, for his sweete liues losse.
1611. Bible, Acts xxvii. 22. There shall be no losse of any mans life among you.
1898. Daily News, 12 April, 3/3. These men estimate the loss of life—that is, the ruthless waste and destruction of human life during the sixteen years that the Khalifa has ruled—at seventy-five per cent. of the entire population.
c. The being deprived by death, separation, or estrangement, of (a friend, relative, servant, or the like). Often contextually, the death (of a person regretted).
a. 1450. Myrc, 1279. For los of frendes or of any þynge.
c. 1645. Howell, Lett., I. VI. xlv. 237. Ther be many sad hearts for the loss of my Lord Robert Digby.
1692. R. L’Estrange, Fables (1708), I. 543. The Case of a Lady that kept her Bed for the loss of a Favorite Puppy she had.
1710. Steele, Tatler, No. 198, ¶ 1. Affliction for the Loss of her Mother.
1798. Monthly Mag., VI. 399. [Died] John Case Browne, esq. whose loss will be severely felt … by the whole neighbourhood.
1805. J. Quincy, in Life, 74. The loss of Mr. Griswold from the national legislature.
1831. Brewster, Newton (1855), II. xxi. 269. Newton had to mourn the loss of his earliest and best friend.
d. The losing of or being defeated in (a battle, game or contest). † Formerly also without specific mention of the object: The state of being a loser, defeat (obs.).
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., C. 174. I lovne þat we lay lotes on ledes vchone, & who-so lympes þe losse, lay hym þer-oute.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Hen. VIII., 136. Of the takyng of the Kyng their Master, and of the losse of the feld.
1593. Shaks., 3 Hen. VI., IV. iv. 4. What losse of some pitcht battell Against Warwicke? Ibid. (1611), Cymb., II. iii. 2. Your Lordship is the most patient man in losse, the most coldest that euer turn’d vp Ace.
1744. Ozell, trans. Brantome’s Sp. Rhodomontades, 205. As a great many Captains have done after the Loss of a Battle.
1822. Shelley, Calderon’s Magico Prodig., i. 151. The battle’s loss may profit those who lose.
e. Failure to take advantage or make good use (of time, etc.).
c. 1385. Chaucer, L. G. W., 997, Dido. It nere but los of tyme.
1535. Coverdale, Exod. xxi. 19. He shal paye the losse of his tyme.
1593. Shaks., Lucr., 1420. But for losse of Nestors golden words, It seem’d they would debate with angrie swords.
1632. J. Hayward, trans. Biondi’s Eromena, 29. She without losse of time, buried the Poyniard up to the hilts.
1709. Addison, Tatler, No. 131, ¶ 10. To … take to some honest Livelihood without Loss of Time.
1814. Scott, Wav., xxxi. Instant reimbursement for loss of time.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. xi. 75. This error caused us the loss of an hour.
f. Failure to gain or obtain. (Cf. LOSE v.1 7.)
a. 1614. D. Dyke, Myst. Self-Deceiving (ed. 8), 41. A word that signifieth … losse of victory.
Mod. I do not wish to risk the loss of my train.
† 3. occas. Cause or occasion of ruin or deprivation. Obs.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Wife of Bath’s Prol., 720. Womman was the los of al mankynde.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Hen. VI., 130. The negligence of the kynges counsaill … was the losse of the whole dominion of Fraunce.
4. In particularized sense: An instance of losing. Also, a person, thing or amount lost.
c. 1369. Chaucer, Dethe Blaunche, 1303. That was the losse … that I had lorne.
1463–4. Coldingham Priory Papers (Surtees), 191. Our grete lossez in plee for Coldyngham.
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 406 b. That those which had bene faithfull to him, and therfore had chaunced into extreme miserie, should first be recompensed their losse.
1599. Shaks., Much Ado, IV. ii. 87. A rich fellow enough, goe to, and a fellow that hath had losses.
1685. Evelyn, Mrs. Godolphin, 150. Thus ended this incomparable Lady: our never to be sufficiently lamented losse.
1718. Freethinker, No. 1, ¶ 6. It is not possible to trade to much Advantage without some Losses.
1883. R. W. Dixon, Mano, II. viii. 95. But soon ’twas heard (a loss of little woe) That he had stolen away the gallant quean.
1891. Law Times, XC. 283/2. The company wrote off the loss as a bad debt.
b. spec. (Path.) A loss of blood by uterine hæmorrhage.
1901. Brit. Med. Jrnl., No. 2089. 86. The patient gave a history of having had a loss a few days previously.
5. Diminution of one’s possessions or advantages; detriment or disadvantage involved in being deprived of something, or resulting from a change of conditions; an instance of this. (Opposed to gain.)
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. Prol. 195. Better is a litel losse than a longe sorwe.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 212. Drede of worldly shame & loos.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 1719. Of þe harmys þat we haue & þe hoge lose. Ibid., 9781. Me is leuer for to lyue with losse þat I haue.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Hen. VI., 141 b. Gain is not alwaies perdurable, nor losse alwaies continuall.
1603. Shaks., Meas. for M., III. i. 181. No losse shall touch her by my company.
1611. Bible, Phil. iii. 7. What things were gaine to me, those I counted losse for Christ.
1627. Milton, Vacat. Exerc., 9. Small loss it is that thence can come unto thee.
1686. trans. Chardin’s Trav. Persia, 8. No wonder if their Trade decrease, and turn to loss rather then profit.
1784. Cowper, Task, VI. 750. Nor can the wonders it records be sung To meaner music, and not suffer loss.
1841. Trench, Parables, xix. (1877), 341. Earthly losses are remedies for covetousness.
1848. Newman (title), Loss and gain.
1866. Miss Yonge, Dove in Eagle’s Nest, I. 76. No matter … ’Tis only her loss [refusing to drink].
b. To have a (great) loss in (or of): to suffer severely by losing (usually, a person).
1680. Aubrey, Lives, E. Davenant (1813), II. 300. He was not only a man of vast learning, but of great goodness and charity; the parish and all his friends will have a great losse in him.
1757. Mrs. Griffith, Lett. Henry & Frances (1767), IV. 15. What a Loss shall I have of him!
1824. Jekyll, Corr. (1894), 144. I feel a sad loss of poor dear Mr. Stanley.
1836. Moore, Mem. (1856), VII. 164. As the time approaches for the departure of our dear little Nell, we begin to feel more and more the loss we shall have of her.
1881. Trollope, Dr. Wortle’s School, IV. xi. She had a certain charge … as to the school…; and very well she did her work. I shall have a great loss in her.
¶ c. A (great, etc.) loss (in this sense) is often idiomatically predicated of the person or thing lost, where in strictness the subject of the sentence should be the loss or deprivation of this. (The more correct expression, as in quot. 1605, is obsolete.)
[1605. Bacon, Adv. Learn., II. iii. § 4. For apophthegms, it is a great loss of that book of Cæsar’s.]
Mod. Our opponents are welcome to their new convert; he is no loss.
6. Mil. The losing (by a commander or an army) of men by death, wounds or capture; also (sing. and pl.) the number of men so lost.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 3171. Ȝit me is better … in bataile be slayne, Þan se þe lose of my ledis.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Hen. VI., 130. Trustyng … shortly to be lorde of the citee and towne, without any greate losse or battaill.
1840. Gresley, Siege of Lichfield, 45. Five thousand men, it is said, were left dead or dying on the field of battle; and the loss of each army, as far as could be judged by the opposite accounts, was about equal.
1846. Grote, Greece (1869), II. II. viii. 446. They were repulsed with loss.
1899. Sir G. White, Disp. to Buller, 16 Dec. The loss of 12,000 men here would be a heavy blow to England.
† 7. Lack, default, want. In the loss of question: provided there is no dispute. Obs.
1603. Shaks., Meas. for M., II. iv. 90. As I subscribe not that, nor any other, But in the loss of question.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., III. 85. The Villages for losse of ground are all built on the skirts of Rockes.
† 8. Tennis. A lost chase (see CHASE sb.1 7).
1591. [see CHASE sb.1 7].
1619. Drumm. of Hawth., Convers. B. Jonson, xvii. (1842), 30. A Lord playing at Tenis, and having asked those in the gallerie Whither a strock was Chase or Losse? A Brother of my Lord Northumberland’s answered, it was Loss.
9. At a loss, † at loss. Of a hound: Having lost the track or scent; at fault. Hence of persons: At fault; utterly uncertain what to say or do (often with indirect questions introduced by how, what, etc.); unable to understand, imagine, discover, explain, etc. At a loss for: unable to discover or obtain (something needed).
1592. Warner, Alb. Eng., VII. xxxvi. (1612), 175. The Hound at losse doth ouer-giue.
1596. Shaks., Tam. Shr., Induct. i. 23. He cried vpon it at the meerest losse, And twice to day pick’d out the dullest sent.
1663. South, Serm. (1823), III. 424. The justness of his government left them at a loss for an occasion [sc. of rebellion].
1668. Hale, Pref. to Rolle’s Abridgm., b j b. Many that are much conversant in subtilties of Logick … are at a loss in it, and can make little of it.
1671. Milton, P. R., IV. 366. Satan now Quite at a loss, for all his darts were spent, Thus to our Saviour with stern brow reply’d.
1699. Bentley, Phal., 332. His wonderfull Learning was at a loss.
1711. Steele, Spect., No. 53, ¶ 8. I stood utterly at a loss how to behave my self. Ibid., No. 157, ¶ 1. I am very much at a loss to express by any Word that occurs to me in our Language, that which is understood by Indoles in Latin.
1773. Life N. Frowde, 23. If they were at a Loss for any thing, I cry’d out, can I find it, Sir?
1781. Cowper, Hope, 345. All speakers, yet all language at a loss.
1823. J. Badcock, Dom. Amusem., 33. We are at a loss, however, for any direct knowledge of the means used by them.
1827. Hallam, Const. Hist. (1876), I. vi. 302. They were at a loss how to obtain his release.
1863. F. A. Kemble, Resid. in Georgia, 17. I therefore am at a loss to understand what made her hail the erection of one [mill] at Charleston as likely to produce such … happy results.
