Loose or lose?

Okay, half of you are probably thinking 'What? This is so obvious. How can people get this wrong?' Well, it is not obvious to the other half because people do get this wrong. Frequently.

Loose

Let's start with the adjective loose. This means (among other meanings) something that is not firmly or tightly fixed in place, something that is not tied up or shut in, something that is not fastened or packaged together (thanks Oxford English Dicitonary). Did you get all those 'somethings'? They are the things that loose is describing. This word has a soft 's' sound at the end of it.

I have a loose tooth!   (A tooth that is not firmly fixed in place.)

Lose

Lose, on the other hand, is a verb and it has a number of meanings but the useful ones here are to become unable to find or to no longer have or keep. This word has a 'z' sound at the end of it.

I don't want to lose my tooth or I won't get money from the tooth fairy.
(I don't want to become unable to find my tooth...)

And to finish with - a sentence with them both at the same time.

 I'm going to lose my temper because the neighbour's loose dogs are on my property again.

No need to lose it. We've got it all sorted. No loose ends!