loss
♦♦ loss /l'ɒs, AM l'ɔːs/ (losses)
1 [N-VAR] usu with supp
Loss is the fact of no longer having something or having less of it than before.
...loss of sight...
The loss of income for the government is about $250 million a month.
...hair loss...
The job losses will reduce the total workforce to 7,000.
2 [N-VAR] usu with supp
Loss of life occurs when people die.
...a terrible loss of human life...
The allies suffered less than 20 casualties while enemy losses were said to be high.
3 [N-UNCOUNT] with supp, usu the N of n
The loss of a relative or friend is their death.
They took the time to talk about the loss of Thomas and how their grief was affecting them.
...the loss of his mother.
4 [N-VAR]
If a business makes a loss, it earns less than it spends.
In 1986 Rover made a loss of nine hundred million pounds...
The company said it will stop producing fertilizer in 1990 because of continued losses.
...profit and loss.
≠ profit
5 [N-UNCOUNT]
Loss is the feeling of sadness you experience when someone or something you like is taken away from you.
Talk to others about your feelings of loss and grief...
6 [N-COUNT] usu sing
A loss is the disadvantage you suffer when a valuable and useful person or thing leaves or is taken away.
She said his death was a great loss to herself.
7 [N-UNCOUNT] with supp
The loss of something such as heat, blood, or fluid is the gradual reduction of it or of its level in a system or in someone's body.
...blood loss.
...weight loss.
...a rapid loss of heat from the body.
8 [PHRASE] PHR after v
If a business produces something at a loss, they sell it at a price which is less than it cost them to produce it or buy it. (BUSINESS)
New fashion designs have to be sold off at a loss if sales are poor.
≠ at a profit
9 [PHRASE] usu v-link PHR, usu PHR for n, PHR to-inf
If you say that you are at a loss, you mean that you do not know what to do in a particular situation.
The government is at a loss to know how to tackle the violence.
10 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you cut your losses, you stop doing what you were doing in order to prevent the bad situation that you are in becoming worse.
Directors are right to cut their losses, admit they chose the wrong man and make a change.
11 [PHRASE] usu v-link PHR
If you say that someone or something is a dead loss, you have a low opinion of them because you think they are completely useless or unsuccessful. (BRIT INFORMAL)
I'd had no experience of organizing anything of that sort. I think I was largely a dead loss.loss ad|just|er (loss adjusters)
also loss adjustor
[N-COUNT]
A loss adjuster is someone who is employed by an insurance company to decide how much money should be paid to a person making a claim. (BRIT BUSINESS; in AM, use insurance adjuster, claims adjuster)loss lead|er (loss leaders)
also loss-leader
[N-COUNT]
A loss leader is an item that is sold at such a low price that it makes a loss in the hope that customers will be attracted by it and buy other goods at the same shop. (BUSINESS)
1 [N-VAR] usu with supp
Loss is the fact of no longer having something or having less of it than before.
...loss of sight...
The loss of income for the government is about $250 million a month.
...hair loss...
The job losses will reduce the total workforce to 7,000.
2 [N-VAR] usu with supp
Loss of life occurs when people die.
...a terrible loss of human life...
The allies suffered less than 20 casualties while enemy losses were said to be high.
3 [N-UNCOUNT] with supp, usu the N of n
The loss of a relative or friend is their death.
They took the time to talk about the loss of Thomas and how their grief was affecting them.
...the loss of his mother.
4 [N-VAR]
If a business makes a loss, it earns less than it spends.
In 1986 Rover made a loss of nine hundred million pounds...
The company said it will stop producing fertilizer in 1990 because of continued losses.
...profit and loss.
≠ profit
5 [N-UNCOUNT]
Loss is the feeling of sadness you experience when someone or something you like is taken away from you.
Talk to others about your feelings of loss and grief...
6 [N-COUNT] usu sing
A loss is the disadvantage you suffer when a valuable and useful person or thing leaves or is taken away.
She said his death was a great loss to herself.
7 [N-UNCOUNT] with supp
The loss of something such as heat, blood, or fluid is the gradual reduction of it or of its level in a system or in someone's body.
...blood loss.
...weight loss.
...a rapid loss of heat from the body.
8 [PHRASE] PHR after v
If a business produces something at a loss, they sell it at a price which is less than it cost them to produce it or buy it. (BUSINESS)
New fashion designs have to be sold off at a loss if sales are poor.
≠ at a profit
9 [PHRASE] usu v-link PHR, usu PHR for n, PHR to-inf
If you say that you are at a loss, you mean that you do not know what to do in a particular situation.
The government is at a loss to know how to tackle the violence.
10 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you cut your losses, you stop doing what you were doing in order to prevent the bad situation that you are in becoming worse.
Directors are right to cut their losses, admit they chose the wrong man and make a change.
11 [PHRASE] usu v-link PHR
If you say that someone or something is a dead loss, you have a low opinion of them because you think they are completely useless or unsuccessful. (BRIT INFORMAL)
I'd had no experience of organizing anything of that sort. I think I was largely a dead loss.loss ad|just|er (loss adjusters)
also loss adjustor
[N-COUNT]
A loss adjuster is someone who is employed by an insurance company to decide how much money should be paid to a person making a claim. (BRIT BUSINESS; in AM, use insurance adjuster, claims adjuster)loss lead|er (loss leaders)
also loss-leader
[N-COUNT]
A loss leader is an item that is sold at such a low price that it makes a loss in the hope that customers will be attracted by it and buy other goods at the same shop. (BUSINESS)