Dictionary definition · lose
verb
- fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense"She lost her purse when she left it unattended on her seat"
- fail to win"We lost the battle but we won the war"
- suffer the loss of a person through death or removal"She lost her husband in the war"
- miss from one's possessions; lose sight of"I've lost my glasses again!"
- allow to go out of sight or mind"The detective lost the man he was shadowing after he had to stop at a red light"
- fail to make money in a business; make a loss or fail to profit"I lost thousands of dollars on that bad investment!"
- fail to get or obtain"I lost the opportunity to spend a year abroad"
- fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind"I missed that remark"
- withdraw, as from reality"he lost himself in his music"
- be set at a disadvantage"This author really suffers in translation"
Similar words
Source: Open English WordNet (CC BY 4.0).