let loose

let (someone or something) loose

To make free or give up control of something or someone; to release or discharge something or someone, as from confinement. Due to a lack of evidence, the suspects were let loose by police. Samantha was suspended for letting mice loose throughout the school.
See also: let, loose

let (someone) loose (on something)

To allow someone to do something as they please, without supervision or control. It's so nice to go to the park and let the kids loose for a while. I hope the board of directors aren't let loose on our project. We can't afford to have them changing things last minute!
See also: let, loose

let (something) loose

1. To do something in a sudden, fierce, and/or uncontrolled manner; to unleash something, especially that which is violent or destructive. The trapped wolf let loose a bone-chilling howl. The home team began to let loose an unwavering offensive barrage against their cross-town rivals. The owner of the ranch let his hounds loose upon the trespassers.
2. To allow something to spread, grow, or develop in a wild or uncontrolled manner, especially that which is destructive or ruinous. With news of the military junta's governmental overthrow, a wild, riotous pandemonium was let loose across the already unstable country.
See also: let, loose
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

let loose

(with something) Go to let go (with something).
See also: let, loose
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

let ˈloose

(British English) (American English cut ˈloose) (informal) do something or happen in a way that is not controlled: Teenagers need a place to let loose.
See also: let, loose

let somebody/something ˈloose


1 free somebody/something from whatever holds them/it in place: She let her hair loose and it fell around her shoulders. Who let the dogs loose?
2 give somebody complete freedom to do what they want in a place or situation: He was at last let loose in the kitchen. A team of professionals were let loose on the project.
See also: let, loose, somebody, something
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • better of
  • be/have done with somebody/something
  • be in line with (someone or something)
  • (someone or something) promises well
  • begin with
  • begin with (someone or something)
  • bird has flown, the
  • beware of
  • beware of (someone or something)
  • be rough on (someone or something)
References in periodicals archive
True Thompson is let loose among the makeup products
Khloe Kardashian teases daughter True Thompson makeup tutorial as she gets hands on; True Thompson follows in the footsteps of other Kardashian kids with her love of makeup
'Sharif family were let loose in the Hudaibiya Paper Mills case when in criminal cases this does not happen,' he said.
Tareen presented money trail, Nawaz didn't even show a paper: Aitzaz
Jake Massey, one of the organisers behind Let Loose Festival, said: "We wanted to bring something to the area for the younger generation as there is a real gap in the market for a forward thinking, forward sounding music festival in Warwick.
DJ Hazard Let Loose at racecourse festival; MUSIC
My only concern is that any babysitter worth hiring would not have taken twenty eight visits upstairs before deciding to let loose the leopard!
Cole, Steve and Ingman, Bruce: Go to Sleep or I Let Loose the Leopard
Just a few months later, "Let Loose" opened its doors to nine campers.
Let loose
| SIR - Parliamentary candidates need to have money of their own because without it they are insecure and inexperienced; insecure because they can lose their jobs in four years and have nothing to fall back on; inexperienced because if they are not accustomed to handling large sums of money they can be like kids let loose in a sweet shop when spending other people's money in government.
Cash for candidates; YOUR LETTERS TO THE NATIONAL NEWSPAPER OF WALES COMMENT & DEBATE
Platinum Games has been let loose on seminal stealth series Metal Gear and the results are pretty much as you'd expect - and want.
Snake reveals a second skin
Theirs is a classic rock sound with huge riffs and powerhouse vocals, which Dante Gizzi let loose with on Steal Your Fire and Inside Out.
GUN; The Garage, Glasgow, December 7
1 Fifty Shades of Grey by E L James (Cornerstone, pounds 7.99) 2 Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel (Harpercollins, pounds 20) 3 The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (Scholastic, pounds 7.99) 4 My Only Boro by Will Nett (Sixth Element, pounds 8.99) 5 A Dance With Dragons by George R R Martin (Harpercollins, pounds 8.99) 6 The Faithless by Martina Cole (Headline, pounds 7.99) 7 Black Dawn by Rachel Caine (Allison & Busby, pounds 7.99) 8 Nowhere Man by Sheila Quigley (Burgess, pounds 7.99) 9 All Hell Let Loose by Max Hastings (Harpercollins, pounds 9.99) 10 All Teachers Great and Small by Andy Seed (Headline, pounds 7.99) List compiled by Waterstones, Captain Cook Square, M'bro
Top Ten Books
But since November last year, a family of jerboas have been let loose here in Qatar.
Family of jerboas woo visitors to Asian Cup
Managed by a human herder and a border collie, the goats are let loose to graze the hills surrounding the campus.
A herd of mowers
The marsupial was let loose among more than 150 revellers dancing at the Clarion Hotel in Liffey Valley, west Dublin, to the theme tune of Australian television show Skippy The Bush Kangaroo.
Kangaroo booze probe
So for New Year's, it only makes sense to let loose with an all-star team of the venue's regulars, including singer-songwriter Andy Cummings (pictured), chanteuse Niki Luparelli and pianist Bobby Gadoury, who does a mean Cole Porter tune.
Party in style
Splash the weeping wet windows with rain Mided birdsong now wingspread and windswept Soft landed somewhere far south from here Canadian goose now let loose The mudsoaked, shooked oak beneath the grey Kaleidoscope of built up dirt Pump loved heart, brandished with song Soft hugging winds let sail Aeroplane, boat applause Goose in cool grass kicking the cobwebs Rooster crowing sun now glowing Pots of money are travelling round Completing circles around the world A postcard from Japan lands on the mat Of a Canadian girl taking tea A handshakes dusty wine In Iceland he tells his son he was Appointed to make a coffin for Napoleon As it was believed he'd be taken there It's a big world waiting beyond wet windows.
WATCHING THE RAIN; Your Poem
Their sheer delight is evident in Steve's most soulful vocal in years, and a rare chance for Eric to let loose his wailing rock guitar.
ERIC CLAPTON & STEVE WINWOOD Live (