# It's "lose", not "loose" **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 27, 2000, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-lose-not-loose/42930 "2000-11-27T22:53:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2000, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-lose-not-loose/42930/21 "2000-11-28T16:20:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SP2263 \* > \*\* Well Yosemitebabe, since you asked; I hate it when people use “borrow” instead of “lend”. I’m sure it’s a regional thing. When we first moved to Wisconsin I couldn’t figure out what everyone was saying. My friend asked me if I could “borrow” something to her. Was she asking if I borrowed something and hadn’t yet returned it? Was I borrowing something? What the F??? \*\* On the same note: You SCRATCH an ITCH. You don’t ITCH a SCRATCH. God, that really hides my chaps…er… ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2000, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-lose-not-loose/42930/22 "2000-11-28T17:27:58Z")
> [@](#): > > The analogy doesn’t work. “Loose” is an adjective, while “bring” and “take” are not. As noted above, “loose” is a verb as well as an adjective. > [@](#): > > Although it is strange that the “-en” is added to “loose” to go from adjective to verb, while with “take” it makes it go from verb to adjective. Hmmm. Exactly, which is why it seemingly makes more sense to assume “loosen” is the past-perfect form of the verb “loose,” just as “given” and “taken” are the past-perfect form of the verbs “give” and “take.” I assume the verb “to loosen” conjugates as “I loosen; I loosened; I have loosened,” while the verb “to loose” conjugates as “I loose; I loosed; I have loosen.” But I’m not sure and I freely admit I’ve never heard anyone actually _say_ “I have loosen.” Does anyone know of any other infinitive verbs that end in “-en”? Just curious. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2000, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-lose-not-loose/42930/23 "2000-11-28T18:36:38Z")
> [@](#): > > Does anyone know of any other infinitive verbs that end in “-en”? Just curious. Just off the top of my head, “lighten” and “darken.” If you allow German, I can come up with a bunch more. Oh, and “breath” is a noun. “Breathe” is a verb. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2000, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-lose-not-loose/42930/24 "2000-11-28T19:41:00Z")
[QUOTE] \*Originally posted by Thudlow Boink \* \*\* > [@](#): > > Does anyone know of any other infinitive verbs that end in “-en”? harken/hearken harden toughen Not really analogous, though. ---
**Author:** ![Ptahlis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a8b319/32.png) [@Ptahlis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ptahlis)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2000, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-lose-not-loose/42930/25 "2000-11-28T19:45:16Z")
Another one that bugs me is “lead” versus “led.” All of a sudden people are using “lead” as its own past tense. “He _led_ in the polls last week.” **Not** “He _lead_ in the polls last week.” The only time “lead” rhymes with “bed” is when discussing the metal. > [@](#): > > \*\*Does anyone know of any other infinitive verbs that end in “-en”? Just curious \*\* Of course the most obvious would be “tighten.” I have seen “loose” used as a verb before, mostly in older writing, but I cannot think of a quote to illustrate it. It’s kind of interesting that we have “loose” and “loosen,” “tight” and “tighten,” but in one case both can be used as verbs while in the other this isn’t true. ---
**Author:** ![JeffB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeffb/32/188_2.png) [@JeffB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JeffB)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2000, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-lose-not-loose/42930/26 "2000-11-28T23:04:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jodi \* > **I assume the verb “to loosen” conjugates as “I loosen; I loosened; I have loosened,” while the verb “to loose” conjugates as “I loose; I loosed; I have loosen.” But I’m not sure and I freely admit I’ve never heard anyone actually _say_ "I have loosen."** I would think it’s “I loose; I loosed; I have loosed.” Just my guess. If you start with “Let loose the dogs of war” (I think that’s a real quote), then you get “I loose the dogs of war; I loosed the dogs of war; I have loosed the dogs of war.” I have rarely heard “loose” used as a verb; I would used “loosen.” (These words are really starting to look strange now.) > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Esprix_ > > > [@](#): > > > > Originally posted by The Ryan > > (BTW, while we’re on the subject, it’s “weird”, not weird".) > > By the way, while we’re on the subject, that sentence should more correctly be punctuated thusly: > > > [@](#): > > > > (BTW, while we’re on the subject, it’s “weird,” not “weird.”) Actually, **Esprix** ’s version is the formal American way of doing punctuation with quotes, but it not universal. I’ve seen **The Ryan** ’s way being used more and more. ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2000, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-lose-not-loose/42930/27 "2000-11-28T23:51:31Z")
I always thought the quote was “cry havoc, and let slip the dogs of war.” From Shakespeare? ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-lose-not-loose/42930/28 "2000-11-29T00:17:21Z")
Yes, it’s a quotation is from _Julius Caesar_. Other words, frighten, stiffen, brighten, lighten, straighten. This Pit thread begins to look like an orphan from GQ or MPSIMS.🙂 ---
**Author:** ![DRY](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a87d85/32.png) [@DRY](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DRY)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-lose-not-loose/42930/29 "2000-11-29T07:14:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jodi \* > \*\*I always thought the quote was “cry havoc, and let slip the dogs of war.” From Shakespeare? \*\* “O, pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth, That I am meek and gentle with these butchers! Thou art the ruins of the noblest man That ever lived in the tide of times. Woe to the hand that shed this costly blood! Over thy wounds now do I prophesy,– Which, like dumb mouths, do ope their ruby lips, To beg the voice and utterance of my tongue– A curse shall light upon the limbs of men; Domestic fury and fierce civil strife Shall cumber all the parts of Italy; Blood and destruction shall be so in use And dreadful objects so familiar That mothers shall but smile when they behold Their infants quarter’d with the hands of war; All pity choked with custom of fell deeds: And Caesar’s spirit, ranging for revenge, With Ate by his side come hot from hell, Shall in these confines with a monarch’s voice Cry ‘Havoc,’ and let slip the dogs of war; That this foul deed shall smell above the earth With carrion men, groaning for burial” –Julius Caesar, Act 3, Scene i Not a bad pit rant, actually. ---
**Author:** ![Suo\_Na](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@Suo\_Na](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suo_Na)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2000, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-lose-not-loose/42930/30 "2000-11-30T23:34:26Z")
Here’s one I’ve seen a few times, and was just reminded of today in another Pit thread. The term is “deep-seated” NOT “deep-seeded”. ---
**Author:** ![LCP2972](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@LCP2972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LCP2972)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2000, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-lose-not-loose/42930/31 "2000-12-01T09:03:48Z")
It makes me near homicidal to see this sort of thing; “A womEn …” I can’t count how many times I have seen this happen. I have noticed it more from people I have talked to in Canada. Maybe I should recant long enough to ask,“Is this the way you guys spell it?” anyone,anyone,? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-lose-not-loose/42930.md?page=1)