1 C1 neutral
To fire a weapon, especially firing multiple shots in quick succession.
"The soldier loosed off several rounds before taking cover."
separable
loose off
C1 informal separable transitive/intransitive
To fire a weapon or release a volley of shots; also used figuratively for sending an aggressive communication.
In plain English
You fire a gun or shoot arrows, or you send a very angry letter or message.
What does "loose off" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 idiomatic informal
(Figurative) To send an aggressive or critical communication, often quickly and without much thought.
"He loosed off an angry letter to the newspaper about the new parking regulations."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To release something that was held under tension, as in loosening a bowstring.
Actually means
You fire a gun or shoot arrows, or you send a very angry letter or message.
Usage tip
More common in British English. The literal (weapon) sense is used in military, hunting, and sports contexts. The figurative sense (sending an angry message) is informal. Both senses are fairly rare in everyday speech.
Words that pair with "loose off"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
shots rounds arrow volley email letter
How to conjugate "loose off"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
loose off
I/you/we/they
3rd person
looses off
he/she/it
Past simple
loosed off
yesterday
Past participle
loosed off
have + pp
-ing form
loosing off
continuous
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