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submitted 9 months ago by ooli@lemmy.world to c/skeptic@lemmy.world
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[-] flathead@lemm.ee 8 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

Loose (verb) = "to let loose" = "to free" (verb), so "loose their power" implies freeing or expressing their power. (Having power)

Lose (verb) = "to not have any more" (lost), so "lose their power" implies no longer having their power. (Not having power).

"Loose" and "lose" are completely different words. "Loose" is commonly written incorrectly online for "lose", so many English speakers make this mistake when writing it.

Editing to add that "loose" is very rarely used as a verb in the way described - it's archaic and nobody would use it in conversation - it is normally an adjective meaning "not tight". The main thing is to remember that "lose", like "lost" is spelled with a single "o" and "loose", like "not tight" has two.

[-] FiskFisk33@startrek.website 6 points 9 months ago

Oh! I get it now, thank you :) I'm realizing after the fact that the spelling of these have confused me before, now it makes sense why!

[-] reddig33@lemmy.world 2 points 9 months ago

Don’t feel bad, the spelling confuses a lot of native speakers as well.

[-] JoMiran@lemmy.ml 2 points 9 months ago

This whole "loose/lose" thread exemplifies a big difference in feel between exchanges in Lemmy vs reddit. One takes the opportunity to educate, the other never misses a chance to ridicule.

[-] FiskFisk33@startrek.website 1 points 9 months ago

to be completely fair, both has a bit of both, though as a general trend I agree with you.

this post was submitted on 06 Feb 2024
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