louse up
B2 informal separable transitive
In simple words
You totally ruin something or make a big mistake with it.
Literal meaning: To infest something with lice, making it filthy and ruined.
Meanings
1 B2
idiomatic
informal
To ruin or spoil something through error, carelessness, or incompetence.
"I completely loused up the presentation by forgetting half my notes."
Grammar: separable
2 B2
idiomatic
informal
To cause problems that prevent something from succeeding.
"One bad review loused up all the momentum the film had built."
Grammar: separable
Usage notes
Primarily American English, and slightly dated compared to 'mess up' or 'screw up.' Still understood by most English speakers. Often used with personal responsibility: 'I really loused that up.'
Commonly used with
plan interview relationship deal chance everything
Forms
Base
louse up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
louses up
he/she/it
Past simple
loused up
yesterday
Past participle
loused up
have + pp
-ing form
lousing up
continuous
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Synonyms
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